By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer

It can never be said that students from St. John Vianney High School do not dress appropriately for work in a museum. On June 4, about 45 Catholic Athletes for Christ from the Holmdel school and their advisors showed up ready to volunteer at Seaside Park’s sand museum…. in t-shirts, shorts and bare feet.

The Sand Museum, located on the beach at N Street and Ocean Avenue in the Ocean County community, is a large tent covering a sand sculpture under construction by Maine-based sculptor Ed Jarrett and volunteers. The project, to be completed later this summer and dubbed “Boardwalk Journey,” will feature more than 5,000 square feet of sculptures detailing the history of Jersey beach boardwalks. Proceeds from admissions to the museum and donations towards its construction profit the Toms River-based “N.J. Hometown Heroes,” a non-profit which has been integral in assisting those affected by Hurricane Sandy but whose offices were destroyed by fire May 16.

“Our students wanted to help with Sandy relief,” explained SJVHS assistant athletic director, Patrick Smith. A previous trip to the beachside workplace by about 50 members of Smith’s theology classes and Pax Christi club members yielded a $500 donation to Hometown Heroes raised through bake sales and t-shirt fundraisers. But students were eager for more hands-on work, so Smith and campus minister Jeff Johnson led the Cathletes to the beach.

The students worked alongside Jarrett as they moved sand, dug trenches and filled molds, helping the giant sculpture grow and take shape. SJVHS junior Cathlete and cheerleader, Nicole Magnan, remembered, “Working to build the sand museum was so much fun. It was also so rewarding knowing that all the hard work that we did would go to help Hometown Heroes, the people that truly live each day to help others and do good!”

Jarrett acknowledged the students’ help with his sculpture in a Tweet on his website, www.tallestsandcastle.com: “Huge thanks to Saint John Vianney High School. 40+ students came in fully motivated and their volunteer work ethic was inspirational to say the least. Ed’s hat is off to this incredible school that also contributed to the Sandy Castle project. What a great morning at the museum,” Jarrett Tweeted.

“The consensus among our students was that it felt great to give back,” stated Smith. “It was hard work but a lot of fun too!” The teacher and coach expressed pride in the students and administration for their support in the Cathlete program, noting, “It empowers our leadership to live our mission statement at SJV through Christian charity… for the well being of those less fortunate in our community and world.”