GO Class 2022-2023
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2024 Mid-Year Gathering andTaste of Europe
Mid-Year Gathering 2024 will welcome the GO Students back to Mount Tabor from February 8-10. Mid-Year Gathering gives the students an opportunity to share their experiences and their hopes for the remainder of their year in America, more clearly and confidently identify, define, and commit to a Servant Leaderhip project/activity, spend time together in prayer, and begin to discuss transistioning from life in America and preparing to return to their native country, family, friends, and schools.
Mid-Year Gathering concludes with Taste of Europe - a "scholarship fundraising" evening on Saturday, February 10, 2024 at St. Patrick's Catholic Community (Parish) in Menasha. Monies raised through the Silent Auction and European Dessert Shoppe supports the following years GO students who apply for scholarship monies to particpate in the GO program. Taste of Europe also offers attendees the opportunity to attend Mass with the students, their host families, GO supporters and friends, enjoy foods from the student's countries as well as amazing entertainment provided by the GO students.
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Student Orientation
Mount Tabor Retreat Center
The GO Class of 2022-2023 traveled from their native countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and the Ukraine) and arrived on Friday, August 5 at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport where they were met by GO staff and volunteers to begin their GO year in Wisconsin and Nebraska. The "yellow school bus" traveled from Chicago to a favorite stop (Culver's) for an evening meal and then made its way to Neenah where the students were welcomed by their arrival host families. After spending a couple of days with their arrival host families, the students participated in a five-day new student arrival orientation at Mount Tabor Retreat Center. The orientation continues to build on the information provided during the GO Summer Camp that was hosted in Hungary, preparing the students for life in U.S.A. This includes discussion on living with an American family, attending an American Catholic high school, participating in the life of their parish and in their community. It also capitalizes on growing together as a class and learning how to be "young, dynamic, Catholic servant leaders". Highlights included daily Mass, morning and evening prayer, volunteering
at Paul's Pantry, visiting the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health (First and only National Shrine in the U.S. with an approved Marian Apparition), enjoying a pizza lunch at Cranky Pat's, an afternoon at the Neenah YMCA, in-person/on-site testimonies from 5 GO Alumni, and performing a talent show for GO staff and volunteers. On their final day of orientation, the long-waited for "in-person" meeting of their host families became a reality during Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church followed by a pot luck supper and the students journey to their famiy's home.
The 22 students in the 2022-2023 GO Class navigated the ongoing effects and requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine with their eyes focused on God and his plan for them.
Our deepest gratitude to our many volunteers who hosted, prepared meals, provided transporation and chaperoning services, offered their wisdom as presenters, and completed sports physicals. You graced our days through your sharing of time, talent, and treasures and made our 2022-2023 GO Class arrival days in America a blessed and successful experience. Thank You!
