Cornerstone

What Is Cornerstone?

Cornerstone is a youth ministry program for Freshmen and Sophomores that combines both youth group faith experiences and service learning in a supportive community.  Once a week the group will meet and either go to a service location in the San Jose area to complete service learning or they will stay on campus to participate in a youth group gathering.  Youth group gatherings will be a mixture of prayer, fun community building activities, small group sharing, & discussion of important issues. Cornerstone is a semester long program. 

Does Cornerstone Fulfill My Service Learning Requirement?

Every student, who completes a semester of Cornerstone, will receive fifteen hours towards their service learning requirement.  Therefore, students will be responsible for the completion of the remaining five hours of service. 

Freshmen will receive five hours from Freshmen Day of Service in the fall. In addition, Cornerstone participants are encouraged to continue to work with one of our partnering agencies for the completion of their remaining five hours of service. Students may also receive their remaining five hours from service in support opportunities (i.e. Open House, Visit Mitty Host, etc). Should a student need support in finding an organization to complete their remaining five hours of service, they are encouraged to speak with their Religious Studies teacher or stop by Campus Ministry. In addition, the service learning page also provides a list of pre-approved agencies.  

Do I Need To Be Christian To Be A Member?

Cornerstone is “Christocentric,” meaning that it is rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We look to Jesus as a model of discipleship and a source of inspiration.  As a Catholic school, we also seek to encounter God through prayer and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.   Although most of the Cornerstone members come from the Christian tradition, past members have come from diverse faith traditions.  These Cornerstone members have contributed to our understanding and appreciation of other religions. The most important quality of a Cornerstone member is a desire to grow closer to God and be of service to the community.

What Is The Application Process?

Freshman and Sophomores in the school have the opportunity to apply for Cornerstone. Students can apply and be accepted into the program each semester.  You may apply for either semester at the beginning of the year. 

Apply on the Forms Section of the Portal

Priority Application Deadline:  August 13th to August 21st (you may apply for either fall or spring semester)

Secondary Application Deadline: should spots remain for the spring semester, the application will be announced to students through announcements and email in early December. However, it is recommended that all interested students apply for their desired semester by August 21st. 

What Would the Schedule Look Like?

Cornerstone Calendar 2024-2025

What Is The Attendance Policy?

Anytime a small group forms, it’s extremely beneficial to the group’s growth to have all the members present.  In order to meet the minimum requirement for service learning hours, students need to come to 7 out of the 8 sessions. 

There may be an exception based on an emergency if communicated with the Director of Campus Ministry.  

What Is The Cost?

The cost of Cornerstone is $50 for the semester.  That includes a shirt, snacks, transportation, and activities.  

Questions?

Feel free to contact Elizabeth Ekman, Campus Ministry Associate