New Hampton School students took a break from their regular schedules on Thursday to participate in our annual Smith-Moore Service Learning Day. This is an all-school daylong program committed to helping others, from our neighbors to our neighboring communities in New Hampshire. Our commitment to service learning is an important reflection of our core values of respect and responsibility, while positively impacting the world around us. Following morning meeting, students and faculty set off on a day full of selflessness, community service, and experiential learning.
Extending Help Across the State
Service learning encourages students to lend a hand and support non-profits and underserved community members while learning valuable life skills. Advisory groups of 6-8 students and their advisors engaged in projects as close as New Hampton and as far as Manchester, New Hampshire. They connected with the community surrounding our campus and got to know many local neighbors. Some examples of this year’s service learning projects included:
- Tending to the garden at a local food bank
- Caring for and socializing with senior citizens, veterans, and elementary school children
- Performing trail maintenance on nearby nature trails
- Cleaning up a local cemetery
- Stacking wood and raking for local neighbors
- Supporting animal welfare by cleaning cages, organizing storage, and more
Reflections
A pillar of the service learning experience is a post-service discussion in which the students can reflect on what they have learned and what was gained from their experience. Students shared their reflections, putting their experiences into helpful words to share with their friends and community. With our School’s “Make It Matter” theme always on our minds, these learning and giving opportunities provide a perfect way to channel positive energy. We look forward to the continued efforts of our students and faculty throughout the school year as they reach out within the greater New Hampshire community.
