Saturday, May 24, 2025
Students of St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy enjoyed hot breakfast, indoor egg hunting and face painting for Easter thanks to their parents’ commitment to the community.
The school held their annual egg hunt on April 12 for students in pre-k through sixth grade, as children hunted 1,500 eggs with the help of seventh and eighth grade volunteers.
This is the fourth year the egg hunt was coordinated by the school’s Home Academy Association. The association revived the tradition after it shut down for the pandemic in 2020.
“I like the safe community, the teachers, and having fun with my friends,” said 11-year-old Yasani Russell.
The parent organizers of the event were focused on building community¾not just for the school and church, but also across the neighborhood.
“I think for me, what makes it important is that the community is coming together and people are just meeting each other,” said JoAnn Duran-Peña, one of the parent organizers. She said she enjoys that people who live in Bellerose, Bellerose Village, Floral Park have an opportunity meet each other.
“I think once you get to know them, it becomes a bit more personal,” she continued. “It’s good overall for everyone in the community.”
Another parent organizer, Carolina Cruz, emphasized that the spirit of community is present at St. Gregory the Great.
“The community becomes family,” Cruz said. “We’re all family here, everyone. We all look out for everybody. This is a great way to get everybody together.”
According to the group of parents who organized the event, the team put a lot of effort into making the egg hunt happen. According to Cruz, the team woke up at 6 a.m. the day before the event, setting up and hiding eggs around the church until 1 a.m. the next morning.
The children who attended the egg hunt said they appreciate what their parents have done for them.
“My kids are a little bit older, but they look forward to it,” said Michelle Ramos, another parent organizer. “It’s that thing about still being a child as you grow up. I still enjoy it and I’m already older.”
Ramos said that as her children get older, they’re looking forward to volunteering to help the little ones with their egg hunt as eighth graders. “It’s a sense of them doing community work as well. I think that’s important in life,” Ramos continued.
“I like the egg hunt, because every single kid gets the candy that they like,” said Ramos’ 10-year-old daughter, Victoria Ramos.
For the parents, the religious and personal aspects of Easter are an important feature of the holiday event.
“Leading up to Easter with Lent, a lot of us sacrifice something,” said Gianna Olubiyi. “We’re praying during that time, we’re fasting. So I think that Easter is really just bringing it all together and reflecting on the past 40 days.”
Other parents expressed their prayers for the season.
“I just want world peace and for everyone to come together and love each other,” Ramos said. “Because the world is crazy right now.”
Children also shared their Easter wishes for the world. Russell wishes that everyone has a home and something to eat.
For next year’s Easter egg hunt, parent organizers said they hope to have at least 2,500 eggs, and to host the event outdoors.
“When the weather cooperates you have to see the magic,” Duran-Peña said.
