Student Life

Students in 6th-8th grade represent our school to other students, parishioners, guests, and prospective families. These students can be seen leading tours, answering questions, attending events, greeting parishioners at Mass, and being positive role models in our school. They meet with their Ambassador Advisor once a month for planning and serve as the face of Incarnate Word Catholic School.

The Amazing Shake is a dynamic and exciting live competition that rallies leaders and role models in our school community together to teach students about professional skills for success. During the fall, speakers are brought in to teach our junior high students valuable lessons about how to handle different situations that life will force them to navigate in the future.

The actual competition begins in the spring for our junior high students. In the first round each student will go through a flash meet-and-greet with local professionals where the student will be scored based on handshake firmness, eye contact, confidence, common sense, charisma, etc. The next round will consist of 20 stations that the students will rotate through, referred to as the Gauntlet, where they will role-play real-world challenges like a corporate interview, delivering an acceptance speech, giving a pep talk, planning a trip, dealing with an unhappy guest, etc. After the Gauntlet there will be additional rounds including a phone interview, a speech, and working at a local business. Students will be scored in each round and the pool of students will be reduced each time until we are down to one junior high student who will be named our Incarnate Word Amazing Shake Champion.
2024-2025 Competition Video Link

Students in 2nd-8th grade have numerous opportunities to participate in our school Masses. They can choose to be an altar server, lector, bring up the offertory, or greet other students, teachers, and parishioners as they come to Mass. Seeing our students actively engaging in the Mass is a wonderful example of God's love made visible at Incarnate Word. 

Wire Choir is a chance for students who play rhythm section instruments to participate in the school liturgy by using the gift of music. The choir consists of students ranging from 3rd grade all the way up through 8th grade. It’s a wonderful way to teach our students how to serve Christ and His church, by using the gifts and talents He has given them. 

6th, 7th, and 8th grade Jam Band is a unique opportunity for students to come together and participate in the Mass through the various musical talents God has given them. Students play various instruments such as drums, guitars, keyboards, piano, bass, and vocals. They also learn harmony and how to follow along with the different parts of the liturgy that use music to help people enter into prayer. 

Our hope and prayer is that through these ministries students will: develop a life-long desire to want to use their gifts in the church, they will feel the presence of the Holy Spirit empowering them in a unique way, and they know that there is a place that they feel welcomed, inspired, and valued by God and His people.  

Each year our 8th grade students are responsible for several jobs around school which fosters leadership and service. It also gives each 8th grader ownership for their surroundings and pride in their school. Some of the jobs include: raising and retiring the American flag each day, sitting with Kindergarten-2nd grade students at Mass and bringing them into school every day, and helping the special teachers set up and clean up. Our 8th graders look forward to this responsibility and take their jobs seriously.

In 1945, Father A. Francis Coomes, a teacher at St. Louis University High School established the Bellarmine Speech League for parochial grade schools in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. After almost 80 years, the Bellarmine Speech League continues to flourish. ​​Participating students in 6th-8th grades develop and improve their public speaking skills by memorizing and performing published speeches in Humorous, Serious, and Duet categories. Students compete in two (possibly three) Speech Meets with teams from other schools in the Archdiocese during the school year. Ribbons are awarded to participants based on the total score they receive from two separate judges. Participation in this group raises the student’s self-confidence while simultaneously providing a skill they will use throughout their life.

During the 10 week, 20 session residency, the St. Louis Dancing Classrooms program provides our 5th grade students with so many opportunities to grow in the areas of maturity and self-reliance. The students also develop important skills and behaviors, including civility, respect, teamwork, and self-discipline.
Each residency takes students on an imaginary journey around the world as they learn the basic steps of the Merengue, Foxtrot, Rumba, Tango, Swing, and Waltz. Traveling to the Dominican Republic to learn the Merengue or Austria to learn the Waltz, students learn about the people and cultures that sparked the origin of each dance. Sprinkled in the mix are a few contemporary line-dances, while also completing writing assignments about what they are learning about.
2025 Residency Video Link

Each month one grade level sponsors a "No-Bake Bake Sale" by bringing in pre-packaged goodies. During lunch, every student has the opportunity to make a purchase and enjoy a snack. The grade that brings in the goodies chooses a local, Catholic organization to send the money that was raised at the bake sale. Our school has supported Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, St. Patrick Center, Sts. Peter and Paul Meal Services, and The Ronald McDonald House. 

Students in 3rd-8th grade particiapte in the Scripps National Spelling Bee Program. The students first participate in a classroom Spelling Bee where 2 winners are declared. Those students continue to the school-wide Spelling Bee where a winner and runner-up is declared for the regional competition. 

Students in Kindergarten participate in the Blessed Mother's Rosary Program which is brought to us by a group of volunteers who visit schools, PSR programs, and scouting groups to promote the Rosary and Brown Scapular. The Kindergarten students listen to a talk about the program, are given the Miraculous Medal, and make their own rosaries. One of our priests will also bless and enroll the students in the Brown Scapular. It is an amazing program and experience for our Kindergarten students! 

Every student in 1st-5th grades will have their own “Mileage” card that can be attached to their school lanyard. A total of 8 laps around the walking path equals 1 mile. Students will have their mileage card punched by a teacher, an aide, or recess parent volunteer after 8 laps are completed. Students are responsible for keeping track of their own laps (honor system) and can be accumulated over multiple days/recess periods. Laps are not accepted outside of school.

In religion class 1st grade students learn about reaching out to others by showing Christ’s love and kindness. In an effort to answer God’s call, students participate in a service project with Project Linus, a non-profit organization seeking to provide love and a sense of warmth and comfort through the gift of new, handmade blankets to children who are seriously ill or otherwise in need. Students are encouraged to give money they have earned from doing chores, setting up a lemonade stand, or a garage sale to purchase the fabric needed. Our 1st graders find it to be a great honor to share the light and love of Christ to children in need!