Eighth Graders Embrace Community Service Field Trips

In eighth grade at MICDS, it is recommended and highly encouraged that students log 20 hours serving the community during the school year. Eighth graders can do this in a number of ways, but one fun way to meet their community service requirement this year is by volunteering with their advisory.

“There used to be one dedicated Community Service Day for eighth grade, but now, the opportunities to serve others are occurring more frequently but with shorter sessions,” explains Summer Beasley, Eighth-Grade Co-Chair and Middle & Lower School PE Teacher. “Kids are getting exposed to different organizations and seem to really like it.” This school year, groups of three to four advisories at a time are taking field trips to visit local organizations and give back. The organizations include:

  • FamilyForward – provides therapeutic and educational services to support biological, foster, and adoptive families.
  • Loaves and Fishes – provides uplifting and supportive services that empower families to become financially secure and have a stable home.
  • Jewish Family Services – provides children, adults, and seniors in the St. Louis region with the support they need to lead vibrant, healthy lives.

In the past two weeks, two groups of Middle School advisories have ventured out into the St. Louis community to help these organizations. Our eighth graders are making a difference!

Beasley Advisory at FamilyForward

The Beasley Advisory went to FamilyForward to support their “Tree of Belonging” project. They cut out autumn leaf shapes and snowflakes that the FamilyForward clients and staff will use to write on and pin to their “tree” seasonally. Additionally, when our Rams visited, FamilyForward preschool students were planning on trick-or-treating in the organization’s buildings at the end of October. Students helped craft extra Halloween decorations for the building to make the event more festive and fun.

Marberry & Militello Advisories and Sontheimer & Fitz Advisories Visit Jewish Family Services

The Marberry and Militello advisories went to Jewish Family Services (JFS) to pack food for families on October 29. On November 4, the Sontheimer and Fitz Advisories visited JFS as well. The groups organized and prepared food to go out to families. They packed individual and family pick-up bags. The Sontheimer and Fitz Advisories prepared around 40 family bags and 60 individual bags. They also restocked shelves to pack the bags and organize the food. While there, the students witnessed the recipients of the food pick up their meals. “They could see the impact of their service,” said Beasley.

Some students shared how volunteering this way felt purposeful and fun. “At Jewish Family Services, our advisory packaged essential bags of food for people in need,” explained Valeria Landrum ’29. “It was both enjoyable and rewarding to provide food and make a positive difference in our community. The experience also strengthened our teamwork and brought our advisory closer together.”

Mia Matisziw ’29, in the Marberry advisory, added, “This experience made me feel like I had purpose by helping others. Volunteering with my advisory brought us closer and made the experience even more fun. In the end, we packaged over 400 bags of food!”

Each student in the eighth grade will get to volunteer in this way within their advisory approximately three times this year. What a fun and fulfilling way to lean into our Mission of leading lives of purpose and service. Go eighth-grade Rams!