St. Joachim’s 6th Grade Students Celebrate 101 Years old Helen Holmes

101 year old Helen Holmes shares her life’s lessons with St. Joachim’s School 6th graders

Costa Mesa, October 8, 2009 - The sixth grade students at St. Joachim Parish School welcomed a very special guest yesterday. Helen Holmes, who is celebrating her 101 birthday today, was the wonderful and wise visitor who came to share her life’s story with the students during their Religion period. She was honored as a “Hero” for her longevity of life, and the wisdom she possessed living through the great depression as well as the birth of the television and Model “A” cars.

Ms. Holmes surprised the students with a great sense of humor and a warm and loving spirit. In her stories she reflected on having only two dresses to wear for school when she was a young girl and recalls making $10/ week working for a jewelry store. The children listened in awe and held her every word with great respect. Many had damp eyes when Ms. Holmes sang “ I Love You Truly” for the 6th and 8th grade classes.

This was no doubt a very memorable visit that the students will never forget. To celebrate Ms. Holmes they presented her with a medallion, a birthday card, some beautiful flowers, and a chocolate doughnut, as she claimed to be a “chocoholic”.

Ashley and Trevor Branca were proud to have their great grandmother with them at school and are convinced that she made a difference at their school. Ms. Zippwald, the sixth grade class teacher agreed: “She made us want to hug our grandparents and to remember how valuable lessons from “real life” can be” .

St. Joachim Parish School is a local private catholic school located on 1964 Orange Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92627. For more information on the school and its academic program, please call (949) 574-7411 or visit www.stjoachimparishschool.com .