Juvenile Court Holiday Party
Over past two weeks, about 40 Cardinal Ritter Prep students have spent more than 700 hours wrapping toys and decorating the Juvenile Court for the Court's Winter Festival for children in foster care. The Children's Festival was held on December 13, 2007. About 800 children participated in the Festival.
Circuit Judge Jimmie M. Edwards organized the Winter Festival with the help of the detention center staff and Cardinal Ritter Prep student volunteers. Judge Edwards is a parent of two Ritter students: senior Ashley and freshman John.
"The Ritter students are very affable, courteous, funny and hard working. They have done a great job," said Judge Edwards.
Nearly 75 Cardinal Ritter Prep students guided children through the facility and hosted several venues at the Festival, including the story telling room, the face painting room and the concert hall.
Judge Edwards received donations of books from Borders and stuffed bears from Build-A-Bear. Staff and volunteers from the St. Louis Zoo set up a small animal exhibit and in other room volunteer clowns made balloon animals for the children. Several area artists performed in the concert hall.
Judge Edwards said, “The news we hear about the Juvenile Court and teenagers is often
framed in the negative. It does not celebrate out successes. The
Children's Winter Festival was a great exhibition of caring and compassion
from employees of the Court and teenage students from Cardinal Ritter
Preparatory School. Indeed, it was a success.”
Circuit Judge Jimmie M. Edwards organized the Winter Festival with the help of the detention center staff and Cardinal Ritter Prep student volunteers. Judge Edwards is a parent of two Ritter students: senior Ashley and freshman John.
"The Ritter students are very affable, courteous, funny and hard working. They have done a great job," said Judge Edwards.
Nearly 75 Cardinal Ritter Prep students guided children through the facility and hosted several venues at the Festival, including the story telling room, the face painting room and the concert hall.
Judge Edwards received donations of books from Borders and stuffed bears from Build-A-Bear. Staff and volunteers from the St. Louis Zoo set up a small animal exhibit and in other room volunteer clowns made balloon animals for the children. Several area artists performed in the concert hall.
Judge Edwards said, “The news we hear about the Juvenile Court and teenagers is often
framed in the negative. It does not celebrate out successes. The
Children's Winter Festival was a great exhibition of caring and compassion
from employees of the Court and teenage students from Cardinal Ritter
Preparatory School. Indeed, it was a success.”
