SWORMVILLE — The dream of one-to-one computing has been realized at St. Mary School, thanks to the generosity of the St. Mary's faith community and the creativity of the St. Mary's faculty. All students are benefiting from the latest technology and teaching methods that technology brings to the classroom.

Since Bishop Richard J. Malone approved the diocese's newest faith formation curriculum, "Forming Disciples," for gradual implementation over the next few years, parishes have been making changes in religious education programs in terms of how parish communities learn together.

SANTIAGO, Chile (CNA/EWTN News) — Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, recently proposed five keys for pastoral education "to respond in depth to the current challenges of society."

Students of SS. Peter & Paul School in Williamsville learn about the atrocities of Auschwitz in art class. They develop pride in their school in art class. They discover confidence in art class. They learn about art from Mary McIntyre.

Technology has created quite an effect at St. John the Baptist School in Kenmore, and now the students have the tools to measure that reaction.

The Greater Olean Association of Church has announced former St. Bonaventure University President Sister Margaret Carney, OSF, as recipient of the 2018 Ecumen Award and the Agency Recognition Award.

More than a thousand people turned out at Kleinhans Music Hall on Monday afternoon to celebrate the life of Robert G. Wilmers, longtime CEO and chairman of M&T Bank Corporation. Bishop Richard J. Malone recalled Wilmers as a 'remarkable gentleman' whose personal generosity benefited Catholic education and Catholic Charities.

Over two dozen area middle schools looked toward the future and designed cities to fit into the global issues we face today.

The Cantalician Center in Depew offers a full range of services for individuals with disabilities, from children through adults. Thanks to a $125,000 grant from the Tower Foundation, the center has been able to give nonverbal children a new way to communicate with teachers, family members and friends with the help of the latest technology.

Northern Chautauqua Catholic School learned the word "amiga" in November, when two sisters who lost their home to Hurricane Maria were welcomed to the Dunkirk school. Amiga is the feminized Spanish word for friend.

KENMORE ­— The St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute board of trustees announced, the appointment of Christopher Fulco, Ed.D., as the next president of the Kenmore school. He will assume the role after the retirement of Robert T. Scott, AFSC, on June 30.

KENMORE — Mount St. Mary Academy celebrated the Advent season by sharing with those in need. Led by the student volunteer organization, Z-Club, students collected over 10,000 food items, which were donated to local shelters.

Growing up, my parents instilled in my three brothers and me that our Catholic faith was not what you do on Sundays, it's who you are. It is the constant celebration of the value of goodness, and this has had a profound influence on the way I think, behave and act.

The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo will hold its 18th annual Catholic Education dinner, GALA 22:6, on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. The 2018 Bishop's Medal honorees will include the chair couples for the Upon This Rock capital campaign, the Montante family and Uniland Development Company.

The John R. Oishei Foundation is pleased to announce the availability of full tuition scholarships for incoming high school freshmen at area independent secondary schools for the fall of 2018.

Villa Maria College Animation student Bridget McCleary '17 and Animation faculty members Lee Terwilliger '14 and Valery Amborski '14 each had their work selected and featured in a fan-drawn episode of Bob's Burgers, which airs on FOX.

Sister Regina Murphy, SSMN (formerly Sister Damian) received the 2017 Mount St. Mary Academy Distinguished Educator Award, which honors a former faculty member for her dedication to academic excellence and the care of her students. The award was presented as part of Mount St. Mary Academy's 90th anniversary celebration.

The Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry at Villa Maria College packed two-hundred bags of holiday meals for food pantry clients with the help of the News Neediest Fund run by The Buffalo News. The Fund purchases holiday meals with the help of cash donations, which are then distributed to food pantries by the Food Bank of WNY.

For good or ill, many people go through high school and begin to form the adult they will become. Four St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute alumni who made their marks on the world were honored by the private school with inductions into the SJCI Fine Arts Wall of Honor during a ceremony at Buffalo State College Dec. 13.

Canisius College will introduce a new master's of science degree in data analytics, beginning in fall 2018. This new and emerging field applies fundamental scientific principles to the analysis of large, complex data sets. At Canisius, the data analytics program will function as a uniquely interdisciplinary major designed to provide students with a graduate-level education in three core components of the field: statistics, computer science and business (including accounting, economics, finance, management and marketing).

Sister Carol Cimino, SSJ, has announced that she will step down as superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Buffalo at the end of the current school year. "I think I've done what I was supposed to do here," said Sister Carol. "I think I've helped to grow some innovative programs in the diocese. I think we've stabilized the schools. We've got a crop of principals who are just second to none right now."

Students from Catholic elementary schools throughout the diocese met at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Kenmore for the fourth year to have X-STREAM amounts of fun showing off their creations, ranging from the mechanical to the culinary and everything in between. The Dec. 3 X-STREAM Games and Expo, which the high school has hosted since its inception, is the pinnacle of the diocesan STREAM program, focusing on science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics. It allows students to compete against their peers as members of the newest generation of inventors, while community members, parents, family and friends come to see what their children can do.

At St. John Vianney School in Orchard Park, students have been learning about science, technology, religion, engineering, the arts and mathematics as a school participating in the diocesan STREAM program. As December rolls around, they are preparing to take what they have learned to the X-STREAM by making their own video games.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY — Niagara University capped off its 2017 celebration of Vincentian Heritage Week by announcing the coordination of a partnership that will donate leftover food items from its dining halls to two of its nonprofit community partners.

The St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute Alumni Association is pleased to announce that the following individuals will be placed on the Fine Arts Wall of Honor: Artie Kwitchoff '84, Christopher Markus '87, Zachary Cain '98 and JJ Wright '03.

A Live Nativity will bring the Christmas story to life during Hilbert College's 20th annual Christmas celebration from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3. The celebration will include a children's Christmas party, complete with a visit from Santa, following the nativity.

TONAWANDA — Adam Gorski plans to make his mark in the world through his sports writing.

Bishop Richard J. Malone announced the diocesan Upon This Rock capital and endowment campaign has raised $107 million since February 2016, surpassing its goal of $100 million, thanks to the donations and efforts of 27,000 benefactors who gave gifts of varying sizes. The bishop made the announcement during a press conference Nov. 20.

LEWISTON — St. Peter School has been formally accepted into Cohort 4 of the Buffalo Diocese STREAM initiative. STREAM is an integrated approach to education that brings science, technology, religion, engineering, the arts and mathematics to all students in all grades. The goal is to better prepare students for successful careers in the 21st-century workforce in a field where jobs for recent graduates are in high demand.

The word "brotherhood" is used a lot around St. Francis High School. The Athol Springs institution, steeped deep into Franciscan values, uses the term to describe the all-male student body. Where the teachers provide the education and the friars imbue the Franciscan values, it is up to the students themselves to support one another.

In September, the Diocese of Buffalo began implementing a new faith formation curriculum, "Forming Disciples." To prepare parish leadership for this transition, diocesan staff from the Department of Lifelong Faith Formation have visited over 155 parishes to discuss it and answer questions. Parishes are being supported to develop their own implementation plans, likely to spread out over two to three years, rather than a few months.

Considering it an "awesome privilege," Dr. Dennis R. DePerro was formally installed Friday afternoon as the 21st president of St. Bonaventure University.

KENMORE — The St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute Visual and Performing Arts Department is proud to announce the upcoming production of "Arsenic and Old Lace," written by Joseph Kesselring. The performances will take place in the Cullen Theater for the Arts at St. Joe's on Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.

A federal government program, Computers for Learning, enabled Immaculate Conception School in East Aurora and St. Mark School in Buffalo to receive updated computer labs. Last month, Roxanne Perry, technology teacher at Immaculate Conception, and Brian Brennan, technology coordinator at St. Mark's, spoke about the effects that these donations have had on the schools.

EAST AURORA — A lecture on "Remembering the Holocaust: Continuing Ethical and Spiritual Challenges" will be held on Friday, Oct. 27, in the Main Dining Room of Christ the King Seminary, 711 Knox Road.

As they prepared for the start of the new school year, teachers from Catholic schools throughout the diocese met at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Kenmore for training on important elements of the STREAM initiative, focusing on the fields of science, technology, religion, engineering, art and mathematics. A total of 400 teachers from 30 schools came to the high school to learn more about 28 topics including STEM courses, tech courses, science lab courses and other aspects of the initiative, which has been well-received as a model in educating children to pursue promising career paths.

Dozens of additional students in Western New York will receive tuition assistance to attend a Catholic school next year, thanks to the Upon This Rock campaign. Next September, about $250,000 is expected to be made available for tuition assistance as a first installment from the Upon This Rock capital campaign, which may eventually grant $600,000 in Catholic school tuition assistance per year.

Lorrie Clemo, president of D'Youville College, was joined Thursday, Oct. 5, by Senator Tim Kennedy (D-Buffalo) to announce that the college has received a $100,000 state grant secured by Kennedy. The grant will support the $470,000 renovation of four floors of the college's Marguerite Hall, first constructed in 1966.

D'Youville College celebrated its first inauguration in 38 years at Kleinhans Music Hall on Sept. 29, marking a 'passing of the torch' from former president, Sister Denise Roche, GNSH, to Lorrie Clemo, Ph.D. Clemo has been serving in the role of D'Youville's president since last December, with plans to make the college a leader in developing health professional leaders. "That is our goal going forward," Clemo said.

STREAM brings many elements into the classroom through partnerships with local cultural institutions. These partnerships allow students to both visit the wonderful institutions in the Western New York area and have them come into diocesan schools.