Pirates on a Journey

About
Pirates & Parents on a Journey grief support program was founded in December 2017 and is modeled after the “Brothers on a Journey” program at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, OH. The program is designed to provide students and parents who have lost a loved one with peer support through group discussion, reflection, and activities.

Program Description & Goals
Pirates and Parents on a Journey is not a therapy group, but more of a way for students and parents to connect with one another over the loss of a loved one.

Parent Trivia Night

SHP parents and community members, please join us on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 6:00 pm at The Prep for a fun 'Trivia Night' fundraiser supporting the Mackenzie Fitschen Fund through Pirates on a Journey
 
Trivia will be hosted by Joe Trivia (P' 22 & '24) and food will be provided. All adults 21+ are welcome and the event is BYOB. 
  • Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023
  • Location: Seton Hall Prep  (120 Northfield Ave West Orange, NJ 07052)
  • Time: 6:00pm 
  • Cost: $45/person 
 
The deadline to register is Friday 11/10.

If you cannot attend but still would like to donate, there is an option to donate on the registration page. 

List of 4 items.

  • Student Meetings

    • Our student group meets once a month during our Lunch/Homeroom period. Lunch is provided at every meeting. We spend the first part of the group socializing and discussing upcoming events and checking in.
    • Next, we move onto a planned activity or discussion. Activities and discussions revolve around the topic of loss and the different emotions and obstacles that can arise after losing a loved one. The main goal of these activities and discussions is to foster an environment of support and resilience, while providing students with healthy coping strategies.
    • Students are not required to participate if they are not ready. They can just listen if they need to. During our meetings, we encourage our students to reflect on their own loss and practice active listening and peer support. We also stress the importance of confidentiality.
  • Parent Meetings

    • Our parent group meets once a month at night in our school’s library. Coffee and light refreshments are provided at every meeting.
    • This group was created to provide our parents with an outlet to share their grief and connect with other parents who suffered the loss of a loved one. It also provides parents with the opportunity to discuss obstacles related to loss and parenting.
    • We do not explicitly share what was specifically said in the student group only the topics that were covered so that parents can facilitate conversations with their sons.
  • Outreach and Grief Education

    • We understand the importance of working with our parents and students through their losses. One of the most important ways to do this, is to educate our school community (students, faculty, and staff) on how to support one another after a loss.
    • We currently host yearly grief education workshops for our students through the Imagine Center (see resources tab for website information). During these workshops, our school community is educated on how to facilitate conversations around loss, recognize that everyone grieves differently, and understand the different types of loss.
    • We have recently expanded this grief education presentation to our faculty and staff.
  • Resources

Program Directors

List of 2 members.

  • Photo of Mark Vitale

    Mr. Mark Vitale 10

  • Photo of Ralph Dellanno

    Mr. Ralph Dellanno Jr.  75

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