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by Allee Bennett
A math teacher stood in front of his students and shouted, “Everyone makes a difference!” Students had just packed dozens of lunch bags for Kids Cafe, a local meal program for children in need. He explained in a math formula how much time the students saved other volunteers. One student reflected, “That’s a big difference.”
Yes, the complex algebra problems or the exact history date that your child will need to know for next week’s exam is very important. But how many children today understand the importance of serving their community?
In a time when poverty, illness and suffering stares us all in the face, we can’t help but wonder: How will our children react? What will they do when they are confronted with these issues? Will they act compassionately? Will they change the world?
Local private schools are encouraging students to be better citizens by incorporating service projects into their daily curriculum.
St. Luke School starts developing civic responsibility within their students when they enter kindergarten. All K-8 students bring selected items each month to support the St. Luke Food Pantry. First grade students visit the pantry each year to learn how to catalog donations and distribute to those in need.
“Serving others is a central theme of said Ann McDuffie, St. Luke headmaster and principal. “We all gain an appreciation for the gifts that we are given as we serve those who might be in need. This builds a sense of community in our students.”
Vertias Christian Academy also believes in fostering community service to supplement what students learn in the classroom. First and third graders reach out to the Phenix City Health Care Facility by creating handcrafted Christmas cards to share with residents. With a great understanding of those in the community, fifth through seventh grade students participated in the local Kids Soldier Marathon to benefit the National Infantry Museum and the House of Heroes in 2011.
“Our students ran the first 25.2 miles of the 26.2-mile marathon during P.E. class and at home prior to completing the lastmile at the National Infantry Museum,” said Vertias administrator, Kelly Geer. Teachers are noticing first-hand the importance of service projects in and outside of the classroom. ToriWoessner, a second grade teacher at Wynnbrook Christian School, teaches her students the value of service while sponsoring the school’s Warriors With A Mission (WWAM) club.
“There has been a shift in the last 10 years, and both private and public schools are focusing on community service,” said Woessner. “It is very refreshing to see.”
Woessner is a sponsor along with parent volunteers for WWAM, a student-led service club. The club, consisting of 30 K-8 students, chooses and votes on service projects to benefit the community. The faculty also chooses projects throughout the year for the entire school body to participate in, including coat drives and collecting animal supplies for Paws Humane.
Although Wynnbrook students are not required to participate in service projects,Woessner sees almost all children contribute.
“Community service is not a requirement for our students, but it is a part of our mission statement,” she said. “Therefore, we want it to be a part of every student’s experience at Wynnbrook.”
St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School is one of a few that incorporate service requirements as part of their teaching curriculum, starting in middle school.
“Beginning in seventh grade, students have service requirements as part of their religion class, including seniors, who must complete a service project upon graduation,” said Julie Davis, Director of Advancement.
St. Anne-Pacelli students reach out to the community each year through social advancement projects. In conjunction with a local drive at St. Francis, the school’s Partners in Education, students are collecting donations for Brown Bag of Columbus.
With a firm foundation on servant leadership, most clubs in middle and high school are service focused. This past year, St. Anne-Pacelli Interact members visited a special needs class at Wynnton Elementary and Rigdon Road Elementary School at Halloween. The Green Team, an environmental club, also collaborated in Help the Hooch river clean-up, recycling and local beautification projects in Columbus.
Servant leadership within the schools offers endless opportunities for students to invest their time in helping others. Community service not only leads to personal growth, but also builds analysis and problem-solving skills while students find creative solutions in today’s ever-changing and demanding world.
At Brookstone School, global issues are highlighted in the students’ course of study. Brookstone School developed its Servant Leadership Program in 2006, encouraging students to engage in service and leadership opportunities on campus and in the community.
While each grade has a specific focus, Brookstone organizes service opportunities that allow students to unite throughout the year.
Brookstone students are invested in helping peers at Fox Elementary School, one of its local Partners in Education, as well as their sister school, Ricks Institute in Liberia, West Africa. Brookstone also enjoys a relationship through Partners in Education with Fort Benning.
Joyful Howard, an eighth-grade student, is a semester exchange student from Ricks Institute. While at Brookstone, she has participated in numerous service learning projects, including packing Thanksgiving meals for needy children at Kids Cafe as part of their yearly school-wide service days.
“I like serving others,” said Howard. “Projects like Kids Cafe help us to understand the issue while also feeding the hungry.”
Through preparation discussions, developing action plans and reflecting on service projects, students develop a strong sense of social responsibility and civic awareness in their community.
“We are blessed by both the relationship with Ricks Institute and our military partnership, which allow us to extend beyond the borders of Brookstone and connect with citizens across the world,” said Meghan Blackmon, the Servant Leadership coordinator.
While faculty and students are very successful in their ventures, all private schools stress the importance of parental involvement and volunteerism as a family.
Jennifer Amos, the service representative for Brookstone Parent Association, organizes parent volunteer schedules and involvement. Amos has two children in sixth and eighth grades at Brookstone, both of whom have attended since prekindergarten.
“Kids are watching our actions and motives,” said Amos. “But most of all [family participation] encourages kids by example.”
Many private schools view community issues as educational opportunities. While parents place children in schools to challenge them academically, they should also look for schools to be a strong resource for developing citizenship, diversity and teamwork.
VP's Private School Guide lists local options for parents in the Chattahoochee Valley.
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