Somewhere in the world, a family is benefiting from a new goat and the milk and cheese it produces.

Thanks for the animal goes to the 2009 class at Immaculate Heart of Mary School where the former students wanted to leave a living legacy.

According to young writers Addison Sans and Alicia Guyton, the students brainstormed to put into action what they had been taught at the school: help poverty-affected children across the globe.

Families and villages now benefit from the efforts of the IHM students. Thanks to the students and the $1,205 they raised, the young people bought a cow, sheep, goat, three llamas, four chicken, five ducks, a fishpond, along with fishing gear, for families in need.

They raised the money with a lot of work, from selling homemade cookies around the neighborhood to doing chores.

The students learned about caring for the poor in religion class during a lesson about Catholic social teaching.

Project S.A.V.E stands for “Sudden Cardiac Death: Awareness, Vision for Prevention and Education.” A creation of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the project assists schools with a comprehensive program to prevent sudden cardiac death.

The school community created a five-member crisis response team to help in a medical emergency in the classroom. This team is above and beyond the S.A.V.E. requirements.

Dominican Principal Sister Mary Jacinta and School Nurse Kim Naab, along with the members of crisis response team, accepted the award in the school’s name from Alison Ellison, Project S.A.V.E. coordinator.

It is time to dig out the old yearbooks and share fond memories with classmates.

Our Lady of Lourdes School Alumni Association is having a “Meet ‘n’ Greet Wine & Cheese Sip” for all former students on Friday, Dec. 11, at Our Lady of Lourdes’ Katharine Drexel Community Center, 25 Boulevard, NE, Atlanta, from 8 to 10 p.m.

This soiree is only the first of what promises to a fun-filled year. It is the kick-off for the 2012 Centennial School Reunion.

For more information, contact Sandra Criddell at scriddell@lourdesatlanta.org or (404) 522-6776.

From the sport’s desk at St. Pius X High School:

Kathleen LaPorte, a senior, earned another award for her running career. She was named to the Atlanta Track Club All-Metro Cross Country Team, putting her in an elite group. It is the third season LaPorte has been named to the team. LaPorte ran in the AAA finals two weeks ago in Carrollton and finished sixth overall.

The school’s water polo team captured its second state championship in three years. Chris Carscallen, Chris Hightower and Kevin Hughes scored two goals each in the finals. Golden Lion goalie Frankie Driscoll-Miller was named the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs.