Important news from Bishop Maginn High School this week. I think we are needed.

First, the fun news:

Monday night, the Master Minds Academic Quiz Bowl opened in Albany with a pair of big wins by the Bishop Maginn Mastermind Quiz Bowl Team.

Five academic stars from the school thumped teams from two much bigger schools – Colonie Central High School and Averill Park High School.

The questions in the quiz are academic – science, math, history, etc.

So far, Bishop Maginn is two for two. The contest goes on for a whole season, one match with four or five different schools every three weeks all year.  It’s a big deal to beat those much larger schools.

Congratulations, almost every member of the team is in my Writing Workshop.

I want to mention now that the cold weather has set in, the school and its teachers are receiving some SOS’s for blankets and warm weather clothes. Many of the refugee families can’t afford heating oil, the families and their children sleep on and under blankets in living and dining rooms to stay warm.

This happens every year when it gets cold, the staff is gathering information on who needs what exactly, and I’ve offered to help support an Amazon Wish List detailing exactly what the need is and in what numbers.

It looks like the school will be asking for winter socks and blankets. We want to be clear and only ask for things that are needed or requested, those requests are now coming in.

Also on Wednesday, I’ll be going to the high school to teach my Writing Workshop but also to meet with Jessica Romera, the school’s Spanish teacher, she needs a small number of Spanish textbooks for her class. The school has no budget for them, and the need is urgent.

I’ve once again offered the Army Of Good in order to help. Small acts of great kindness.

We’ll add that request to the wish list for blankets and certain winter clothes. (Please don’t send clothes until we know more about what is needed, the wish list might be able to handle it.)

The school is not in session on Tuesday. I’ll meet with school officials on Wednesday morning.

If you wish to support the refugee students and their need for winter clothes – this goes on all winter, many refugee families really hate to ask for help until they are desperate – you can wait for the wish list, you can also contribute to our clothes fund via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion/Refugee Winter Clothes, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 1281.

The list should go up Wednesday evening. Thanks.