Greenhill Students Serve 20 Organizations in the Greater Dallas Community
On Wednesday, March 6, 2013, 430 Upper School Students and 60 faculty members participated in Greenhill School’s Community Service Day.
The students and teachers, working in teams at approximately 20 different locations, served the community in a variety of ways, taking part in such activities as farming, childcare, painting, tutoring, food service, food distribution, and even bicycle and medical equipment restoration.
“We work with a wide variety of agencies because it helps students to understand the range of needs in their own community.” said Sally Rosenberg, Director of Service Learning and Community Service.
A brief snapshot of today includes Greenhill students mulching gardens and planting rosemary and peach trees at We Over Me Farm at Paul Quinn college, helping care for homeless children at Vogel Alcove, stocking food and clothing at Crossroads Community Services, serving a cafeteria line at Stewpot/The Bridge, painting walls at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore; and at the North Texas Food Bank, the Greenhill team assembled 4410 backpack lunches and 7333 emergency meals for families in need.
In another dimension of Community Service Day, seniors stayed behind on campus to spend the day with fifth graders from Bush Elementary. Seniors paired individually with fifth graders to take part in a variety of activities including mentoring, tutoring, making “my ideal college” posters, and playing games on the field.
Rosenberg organized her first Community Service Day when she joined Greenhill 19 years ago. The list of groups that the students visit has changed over time, but she said that the impact on the students is as strong today as it was then. “We want our students to be heart smart,” said Rosenberg. “Volunteering is a skill that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
Organizations participating in Greenhill School’s Community Service Day:
Big Thought Brother Bill’s Helping Hand George H.W. Bush Elementary School Crossroads Community Services DME Exchange of Dallas Hunger Busters Jewish Family Services Thrift Store Junior Achievement Legacy at Preston Hollow Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance North Dallas Food Bank Resource Center ReStore – Habitat for Humanity Spokes for Folks Stewpot / The Bridge Vickery Meadow Learning Center Vogel Alcove We Over Me Farm Wesley-Rankin Community Center