Community
Service in the Lower School
Community can be defined as “any group of people joined
together by common interest,” and this is what makes Hackley Lower
School truly a community. As a community our desire is to instruct and
learn not only the academic discipline that is vital to the continued
tradition of Hackley, but also about acceptance, honesty, self-discipline
and generosity that are also hallmarks of this institution. To that end,
the Community Service Committee works throughout the entire Hackley community
to find ways to serve our school, our Tarrytown neighborhood, our city,
state, country, world and a variety of people in need. We provide funds
and food, or songs and smiles. We work, read, collect, and deliver. Our
community cares.
Terry Schwartz and Dawn Crainer
Lower School Community Service Coordinators
"Do you walk to New York or
do you take a truck?"
"Do you really go at midnight?"
On Wednesday March 3, Hackley Senior Joe Piscina gamely
fielded these and other questions from first grade students, who had assembled
in the Upper School dining room to make sandwiches for the Midnight Run.
The Midnight Run is a Dobbs Ferry-based organization that facilitates
the delivery of food, clothing and other basic necessities to homeless
individuals in New York City.
This Hackley Community Service program thrives through the coordinated
efforts of faculty, administrators, Upper and Lower School students, parent
volunteers and Flik Food Service.
After Joe's introduction, the children were ready to go to work. As parent
volunteers supervised the first two food stations, the children swiftly
made 100 turkey and cheese sandwiches. The assembly line continued at
a third table, where another group of children loaded bags with the sandwiches,
potato chips, fruit, condiments and napkins.
"This is making me hungry."
"I like helping people who don't have enough to eat." "If
someone wants to eat two sandwiches, is that ok?"
Thank you to the first grade students and to all the volunteers who make
this Community Service event such a success. The final Lower School sandwich
making will take place on Wednesday, April 14 with the fifth grade and
their kindergarten buddies.
Lower School
Community Service Activities:
Hackley is committed to inspiring students to participate in community
service, both inside and outside the school. Activities are made available
through the school to facilitate student involvement. Key to the Hackley
efforts is the inclusion of events, programs and organizations that are
commonly supported by the three divisions.
Activities are largely hands-on, with many geared to supporting the Middle
and Upper School efforts.
Sandwich Making - Children make sandwiches for Upper School students
to deliver to the homeless in New York City through Midnight Run, an organization
based in Dobbs Ferry.
Collections of Goods - Goods are collected to support a variety
of Middle School community service activities, among other initiatives:
- Toys- Collections are made both by the Middle
and Lower Schools for Abbott House, a local youth home in Irvington.
- Food - Collections are made by the Lower School
for Neighborhood House, a local charity in Tarrytown that supports the
elderly and cancer patients.
- Relief efforts - Additionally, goods
are collected for special situations such as the September 11 disaster,
earthquakes, etc.
Donations to Organizations The Lower School historically supports
three organizations through “hands-on” activities and pledge
drives:
- UNICEF - Students are given UNICEF boxes to solicit donations
on Halloween.
- Americares - Around Valentines Day, students participate in
an activity to raise money for Americares, a disaster relief organization.
- Books for Kids - In the spring, students participate in a Read-A-Thon
to raise money for Books for Kids, in which Hackley is a key contributor.
Special Relationships - Lower School children in Spanish Classes
sponsor three Bolivian children with whom they correspond through Save
the Children, an international non-profit organization that fosters lasting
change in the lives of children in need.
Interested in helping? We especially need communications / printing
assistance. Contact: Debbie Field (914- 591-8153) |
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