Meet Our Lower School SGA Chaplains

The role of the Student Government Association Chaplain is vital to building a sense of community here at St. Agnes Academy - St. Dominic School.  Our current Lower School SGA Chaplains, Emma Casey (8^th) and Harlan Caston (7^th), have been students at SAA-SDS since pre-kindergarten, and they understand the power of prayer.

According to Amy Cluck, Lower School SGA sponsor, “Both Emma and Harlan lead us in prayer with kindness, maturity, and pride for our school. They understand the necessity that we all know—that being as Christ-like as we can every day helps us develop into the person that God meant for us to be.” Please take a minute to get to know Emma and Harlan a little better!

Why was it important to you to be SGA Chaplain?

Emma: I wanted to be chaplain because my faith is a really important part of my life. I wanted to be able to help my school community and help spread my faith at the same time and being the 8th grade chaplain was a perfect way to do this. 

Harlan: I wanted to be a Chaplain because I wanted a chance to use my leadership skills to serve our school community.

What were your goals for the SGA Chaplain role this year?

Emma: My goals as the SGA Chaplain this year were to help the SGA succeed in all of the projects that we had and to lead the Junior High students in prayer and their faith. 

Harlan: My goals as chaplain for this year were to guide my fellow peers and classmates closer to God through their journey of life.

You have led several service projects this year. Which one was your favorite and why?

Emma: My favorite service project this year was when we sold Val-O-Grams and donated about $700 to representatives from St. Vincent de Paul because it was a very hands-on way of being involved in service to my community, and it felt good to be able to present money that we worked hard to earn to a good cause.

Harlan: My favorite service project we've led in SGA this year was the fall food drive for Project Outreach because we were able to help lots of people last Thanksgiving by providing them with a turkey and canned goods.  

Your role as Chaplain is so important! Out of the four Dominican Pillars, your role as Chaplain involves three of them-Prayer, Community and Service. Which one of those do you think impacts you the most every day?

Emma: I think the three Dominican Pillars of Prayer, Community, and Service are all very important aspects to being a chaplain, but when asked what I think impacts my role the most every day, I would lean towards prayer because it is my role and responsibility to help lead the Lower School and Junior High in prayer and worship. 

Harlan: I think out of all four Dominican Pillars, Prayer impacts me the most every day, as it is something I do before school, during school hours, and right before I go to sleep at night.

Do you think you will pursue other leadership roles in the future?

Emma: I think I will pursue other leadership roles in the future because it is a great way to get involved in my school community, and it's also a great way to make new relationships that could last a lifetime. 

Harlan: Yes, I'm looking forward to running for SGA again next year, possibly in a different position.

What other activities (at school or outside of school) are you involved in?

Emma: Some other activities I'm involved in are playing for the SAA High School Varsity Soccer Team and playing for the Germantown Legends Club Soccer Team. 

Harlan: This year I'm on the Track Team and I'm a distance runner. I was also involved in the Junior High Choir this year and was a member of the Basketball Team.

What is your favorite thing to do?

Emma: My favorite thing to do is play soccer with my teammates and spend time with my family and friends. 

Harlan: My favorite thing to do is play sports with my friends. Some of my favorite sports are football and basketball.