The eighth grade Faith in Action (FIA) class visited the offices of California Congressional candidates to ask the candidates what their plans were to end hunger in San Diego, California, and the world. The FIA class decided to take on a project that involves Catholic Social Teaching, which is what the class is learning this year.

“For the past two years, the FIA has focused on charity, but for this year while we study Catholic Social Teaching, we are turning towards justice.

There are many people in the world who don’t have a voice and need advocates, “said FIA teacher Teresa Roberts.

To prepare for the visit, the class did several things. The FIA students made signs saying “end poverty” and “end hunger” to carry on the field trip. Taylor Townhill and Delaney Williams prepared a speech to inform the candidates about the FIA class’s desire to end poverty and hunger. The FIA class visit was also covered by the tv news channel KUSI.

The FIA class also had a booth at the Fall Festival and the Saint Vincent de Paul Walk for the Poor asking for signatures, which were delivered to both candidates.

The candidates who ran for the 49th Congressional District were Rep. Darrell Issa, running for the Republican party, who has held office at the House of Representatives since 2001. The other candidate who ran for office was Douglas Applegate, a Democrat who served as a colonel in the military, being part of the Marines. The 49th Congressional District includes the cities of Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, and Vista, as well as a small part of southern Orange County.

The eighth graders first went to Doug Applegate’s office in Solana Beach, where they spoke to the deputy campaign director. He said that Applegate wants to help the homeless and impoverished. He also said that helping those without food and water is important.

Next, the eighth grade went to Darrell Issa’s office in Vista and spoke with one of Issa’s representatives. “Congressmen Issa takes the issues of hunger and poverty very seriously,” said one of Rep. Issa’s staff members.

Since Rep. Issa has won the election, the eighth grade FIA hopes to meet again with his representatives or him in thirty days, although this will be up to the second trimester class.

Rep. Issa plans to help create jobs across the nation in his next term in Congress, which in turn would help eliminate poverty and hunger. Asked if the visit was effective in ending helping end the problems of hunger and poverty, Jake Titcomb said, “I do think it was effective as it will raise awareness not only locally, but nationwide. It will raise awareness of the issue and will hopefully end major is-
sues in the nation.”

This affects Saint John School as it can help impoverished people in the community. It will allow many homeless to receive jobs and get nourishment. It will provide justice, as taught in FIA as being a long-term fix to the problem of poverty.

Article by Dillon Tarle, Student at Saint John School
Photo by Amy Hurst, Student at Saint John School