Service Learning

Lower School students engage in several different projects throughout the year, which are chosen based on their accessibility to our younger students. Each project benefits a sector of our greater community with which our students identify.

Some examples include:

• The Wrap-In: a children’s gift drive benefitting the One Simple Wish Foundation, a local organization that enriches the lives of foster children. Students wrap new donated presents in creative and sustainable ways with recycled materials.
• Winter Woolies: a mitten, hat and scarf drive benefitting the Children’s Home Society of NJ, a local organization which “helps at risk infants, youths, and families achieve their potential.”
• 2nd grade student-created calendar sale, with proceeds benefitting an agreed-upon organization
• Annual bulb planting

Lower School students also participate in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Morning of Service, when each LS grade develops a unique hands-on community service project benefitting a sampling of constituents. This morning of service usually takes place on the Friday prior to the national holiday honoring Dr. King.

Middle School students participate in projects that have been decided upon collectively by the division. Once the organization has been identified, time is devoted to learning about the organization and carrying through with solutions. Here are some additional examples of Community Service in the MS:

• Loaves and Fishes bagged lunch project; MS students gather together to make hundreds of bagged lunches to benefit Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, an organization that feeds the hungry in the Trenton area
• Skating Party “Tickets” with proceeds donated to organizations
• Book drives to ensure books are in the hands of children who may not have access to them
• Bake sales and clothing drives proposed by individual students and student groups to help local organizations

A Community Service Committee with co-heads, grade level representatives, and a faculty advisor are responsible for overseeing US projects. Community Service projects are developed primarily through student clubs, advisory groups, and by individual students. Students respond to current events and identify programs or organizations which are in need of assistance. They develop a plan for hands-on help—organizing a drive for essentials or a sale to raise funds as financial support. Periodically, informed speakers are brought to campus to raise awareness about the issues that are being addressed.

 

Upper School students are required to complete 50 hours of Community Service prior to graduation. These 50 hours may be completed at any time over the course of their four years in the US, and may be completed within the school community, as well as outside of school.

The entire Princeton Day School community comes together across divisions on several Community Service projects, including:

• Thanksgiving Basket Food Drive: Baskets including each part of a Thanksgiving meal are collected and donated to HomeFront, a local organization addressing homelessness in Central New Jersey
• The Great Giveaway: gently used school supplies are collected and sent to organizations that work with students who are in need of these essentials
• Ongoing clothing drive: four times a year, the school’s lost and found bins are donated to The Nearly New Shop, a thrift store supporting our local community
• A spontaneous fall food drive, which collected more than 1,300 pounds of food to benefit the Crisis Ministry, a local organization that provides food and financial assistance to low income individuals
• American Red Cross Blood Drive: An annual drive for PDS students, faculty, and parents to donate blood at an on-campus location
• Empty Bowls: Started in 1990, Empty Bowls is an international initiative to fight hunger that is personalized by organizations on a community level. At Princeton Day School, ceramics students make and donate bowls, and local restaurants provide soup. Guests to the event choose a bowl, and enjoy a simple meal of soup and bread. All of the proceeds raised are donated to address hunger in our local community.
• The Watershed Institute Annual Trail Runs: Princeton Day School takes opportunities to support organizations with missions that are aligned with our school's mission. In May, 2018, a team of more than 40 runners, including students from all three divisions, faculty, and staff, participated in the Watershed Institute's Trail Runs. By participating, PDS runners are helping the Watershed in their mission of keeping water clean, safe and healthy.