The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. –Mahatma Gandhi
Instilling a sense of service to others can begin at a very young age. The Colorado Academy Lower School believes that being a responsible community member is an important life skill. Young children genuinely want to help others.
As a Lower School, we initiated a commitment to community service this year to happen inside and outside of school. Each classroom will perform a service project outside of school in the fall and spring. Projects from this fall include student-made cards for Children’s Hospital and for local veterans.
One grade has been collecting items for Afghanistan refugees, while another grade level is collecting food for a local food bank during the winter months. The Fourth Graders are planning to participate in the Wreaths Across America program in December, too.
Students have shared that they love the opportunity to do things to make a difference and to brighten the day for other people. A group of Third Graders recently shared, “We like having a project to make the world a better place, and it makes us feel happy inside.”
Within school, each grade level has committed to a field trip that will support service to a local organization. We are excited for our students to experience giving back during a field trip opportunity. We are also planning a Day of Service in the spring for the entire Lower School to participate in service that supports the Colorado Academy community.
As a Lower School, we want to instill an attitude of gratitude in our students, as this supports our Formative Five work. We look forward to the long-lasting impact our students can make as they work together in our community this year.