FEBRUARY 21, 2008

	SISTER PUCKERS UP, FULFILLS PLEDGE TO KISS MONKEY
Sister Sharon Ann Mihm, principal of St. Martin of Tours School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, prepares to kiss Django, a whiteface capuchin monkey. She told students she would do it if they collected more canned goods in a food drive than they did last year; they nearly doubled their goal.

The following article is used with permission of Catholic Standard, the weekly newspaper for the Archdiocese of Washington (District of Columbia plus Montgomery, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Calvert, and Charles Counties in the State of Maryland).

Sister Sharon Mihm ’goes bananas’ over canned goods at St. Martin of Tours School

By Laura Jamison

Holy Cross Sister Sharon Mihm said she prefers kissing a baby pig over a capuchin monkey named Django.

Sister Sharon, the principal, promised students she would hug or possibly kiss a monkey during a vaudeville show at St. Martin of Tours School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on February 14, if they collected more than 3,500 cans of food for the poor who are fed at the Lord’s Table soup kitchen at St. Martin’s. The parish also operates a food pantry.

So they did. With 6,175 canned goods and dry goods collected, the monkey kissing St. Martin’s principal was inevitable.

Last year, the principal and students went “hog wild” for the poor and collected 3,500 cans, and at that time, Sister Sharon had agreed to kiss a pig if the students met their goal. Next year, the principal hopes to carry on the tradition, but she doesn’t know which animal will be part of the promotion.

Sister Sharon said she admits this method of promotion is a bit unusual, but after working with students since 1967, and recently celebrating her 40th year as a member of her religious community, she also knows her students will remember this “long before solving a problem in a math book.”

“It’s essential that we … find ways to energize students and make learning meaningful,” she said.

Creative Learning
Over the years, students in her classrooms have put on puppet shows, interviewed “Moses” while pretending to be Barbara Walters, and participated in plays about saints. They have written poetry about biblical figures in the Old Testament and created biblical newspapers.

This “makes religion come alive, and helps (students) have a love for the Lord,” Sister Sharon said.

The principal also likes to keep up with new technology. St. Martin’s recently received a $50,000 grant to put interactive smart boards in their classrooms, and another $15,000 grant to give each teacher a laptop.

Understanding how children learn, and teaching using multiple approaches is important, Sister Sharon said.

“Children are our future but they have different ways of learning,” said Sister Sharon, who also served as a principal at Holy Cross School in Garrett Park and at Mother of God School in Gaithersburg.

Sister Sharon’s own learning began at St. Gabriel’s School in Washington and then later she attended the Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington. When she arrived at Dunbarton College of Holy Cross, she had an opportunity to do mission work with several sisters, and this experience influenced her decision to become a Sister of the Holy Cross.

Forty years later, Sister Sharon said that although she is a teacher and a sister, her true vocation is to “spread God’s love.  Without him, I couldn’t do what I’m doing,” she said.

God’s Love
Every day over the loud speaker, Sister Sharon tells her students “remember our God loves you very much, and I love you as well.”

Sister Sharon said it is a privilege to work with children during their formative years.

She added that seeing her children achieve is uplifting. Sister Sharon said she enjoys working at St. Martin’s because of the multicultural student body.

“(The students) are as sweet as could be … If only our world could get along as well as we do,” she said.

During the vaudeville assembly, the principal thanked students for their generosity, and just before the monkey kissed her, she said, “I am so honored to fulfill my pledge to you.”

Sister Sharon said she will continue brainstorming ideas with her students for next year.

* * *