As soon as the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama hit the news; students at local schools were trying to find ways they could help.

At least 20 students displaced by the hurricane have been accepted to Catholic schools in the diocese while living with extended family.

"Let’s make it work for them," diocesan Superintendent of Schools Dr. Timothy McNiff said about placing displaced students in Catholic Schools. "Even if a school is at capacity, we can always squeeze a couple more students in."

As of Sept. 12, Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria has accepted two displaced students, Paul VI High School in Fairfax has accepted six, Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington accepted four, All Saints School in Manassas has two, St. Agnes School in Arlington has four, and Nativity School in Burke and Blessed Sacrament School in Alexandria both have one.

"We’ve tried to offer anything we can to help … anything they need at this time," said Oblate Father Matthew Hillyard, Ireton principal. Schools are offering tuition assistance and working with uniform and book companies to make sure students have everything they need for school. Ireton has linked displaced students with peer helpers to assist them in getting used to a new routine in a new school.

Besides helping students that come into the area, students are helping those who are still in the south. In one of the many collections that has taken place across the diocese, students from Ireton, St. Agnes, Holy Spirit in Annandale and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Vienna joined forces to collect 150 boxes of bedding and towels to donate to Catholic Charities USA.

With the assistance of Father John Lyle, former principal of Paul VI, the Key Club and Student Leadership Youth Corp organized a clothing drive to gather donations for the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Miss. Father Lyle is command chaplain of military personnel in Gulfport and asked the school for donations of clothing, toiletries and backpacks.

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde will visit Paul VI on Monday, Sept. 19 for a morning Mass, where he will accept a check for Catholic Charities. Students continue to collect money in classes and at home football games.

Ireton is donating the proceeds for the back-to-school pool party to relief efforts and held a car wash over the weekend.

As of Sept. 12, O’Connell had raised more than $18,000and Ireton had raised $2,800. Paul VI continues to accept donations from students and will not be counting their collection until the end of this week.

Although it has not been needed yet, Ireton offered its unoccupied faculty house to shelter a displaced religious community. So far, Father Hillyard said, people are so dispersed and there is not enough organization in the south to move an entire community.

"We have not given up hope, but it seems impractical at this time," Father Hillyard said.

The diocesan Office of Catholic Schools sent a letter to principals on Sept. 2 asking what each school would be able to do for displaced families if they were to come to the diocese. Debbie Evans, administrative assistant to the superintendent, said the response from the schools was remarkable.

"We received a very generous response from parishes and pastors," she said. "One pastor said the families (in his parish) are so willing to help that it is almost overwhelming.

McNiff is working with Diocesan Chancellor Mark Herrmann and diocesan Catholic Charities to form a plan in case displaced families are placed in the area on a larger scale.

"We’re ready to take children where they are and work with them and their needs," McNiff said. "The schools that have been contacted (by displaced families) have opened their arms to the children."