Service learning presents valuable learning opportunities for students. When engaging with their local communities, children discover new ideas about the world around them and gain unique perspectives about their surroundings.
At St. Timothy’s School, we encourage students to participate in immersive service learning experiences to connect with their community, develop valuable personal skills, and learn how to lend a helping hand. Our service learning opportunities combine traditional curricula with community needs, encouraging students to grow intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Read below to learn more about the service learning projects at St. Timothy’s.
Lower School Service Projects
Service learning is a long-standing tradition for our lower school students. From kindergarten through fourth grade, students participate in many service projects that enrich their learning experience and help them build academic and social-emotional foundations. Below are some examples of service learning opportunities offered to our lower school students.
Tooth Fairy Tree
Service learning starts early at St. Timothy’s. Our kindergarten classes participate in a toothbrush donation drive called the “Tooth Fairy Tree.” Each year, we have our youngest learners donate a toothbrush for every tooth they lose. They proudly hang these donated toothbrushes on our Tooth Fairy Tree for all their classmates to see, inspiring others to get excited about giving back to their community.
Care Packages for Troops and Community Partners
Another pillar service learning project of our lower school is our donations to stateside and overseas troops. Each year, our second-grade students assemble care packages for the active forces to show appreciation for their services. In addition, much of our lower school also participates in food, book, and clothing drives, collecting valuable goods to donate to the underserved.
Middle School Service Projects
Service learning is a pillar of our middle school curriculum. Because grades 5–8 are some of a child’s most formative years, we ensure each grade level collectively participates in at least one service project. Below are some impactful service learning experiences offered to our middle school students.
Food Bank Volunteering
Volunteering is a highlight of our seventh grader’s St. Timothy’s experience. Our seventh graders volunteer at the Food Bank of Eastern Central North Carolina, where they gain perspectives by immersing themselves in a new environment and undertaking meaningful tasks.
Rise Against Hunger Events
Many of our middle school students participate in service learning projects through the St. Timothy’s Student Council. Our middle schoolers host annual Rise Against Hunger events, preparing thousands of meals for underprivileged communities. Our students also work with the Salvation Army of Wake County Women and Children’s Emergency Shelter.
9/11 Day of Service
On September 11, our eighth-grade students spend the day giving back to their community. They begin their day by holding a service event at Activate Good, where they make blankets, formulate civil service plans, and assemble school bags. Then, our eighth graders divide into three groups and travel to the North Carolina Food Bank for the afternoon where they sort thousands of meals for underserved communities.
Titan Ambassadors
Our Titan Ambassadors engage in several service learning projects throughout the year. Composed of over 100 sixth through eighth-grade students, our team of Titan Ambassadors serves their school community by helping with school events, tours, open houses, and supporting our Annual Fund campaigns.
Veterans Day Candy Drive
In honor of Veterans Day, our middle schoolers hold a candy drive to support and brighten the holidays for our troops. In our most recent drive, St. Timothy’s collected over 1,300 pounds of candy, which were donated directly to The United Service Organizations.
Private Education at St. Timothy’s School
At St. Timothy’s School, we weave servicing learning opportunities into our curriculum to enrich students’ learning experiences. By giving back to their community through food drives, volunteering, and other charitable services, our students learn more about themselves and how they can meaningfully connect with the world around them.
