Abby Gallo ‘22
Kathryn Lynn ‘22
The holiday season is an important time to reunite with family, celebrate traditions, and give back to the community, and as the holidays approach, people are filled with holiday spirit and partake in charitable deeds to benefit their community and its members. With such emphasis placed on sharing and giving back during the holiday season, many become more involved in the community through service.
Episcopal has multiple service traditions for the holiday season, beginning with the November Turkey Collection. The collected turkeys go to Great Valley Food Bank and Muslim Serve to provide a Thanksgiving dinner to many families and individuals that would not have been able to buy a turkey themselves. Last year, 63 turkeys were collected in total.
In addition, the EA Can Drive runs before and after Thanksgiving, and the donations go to Saint Mary’s Church in West Chester and the Great Valley Food Bank. The Can Drive sparks a small competition amongst the grade levels, as each grade strives to donate the most.
Finally, in December, homerooms and advisories can buy gifts from a personalized wish list for a child who attends ACLAMO, an advisory-community center in Norristown.
Students at EA are very supportive of the widespread sentiment of giving back during the holiday season. Rachel Letts ‘22 says, “We give back to spread the joy of the holidays.” These community service events remind faculty and students of the importance of giving back.
Hollis du Pont ‘21 states, “It is an opportunity to give back while having fun and learning about people in different situations in life. It’s especially important at EA because we live a privileged life, and giving back can give us perspective.”
Julia Memmo ‘22 shared similar thoughts saying “[it] made me more aware of the world around me.” Other positive impacts of service that many students mentioned are spreading awareness and the development of important characteristics, including responsibility, communication, and leadership.
Even with these strong opinions about the vitality of community service, it is not a requirement for Episcopal students. Other schools in the area require a certain amount of hours for all their students. However, Michael Letts, Head of Upper School, explains “Service should be something you are inspired to do, not something you are forced to do. We have service mornings to get everyone involved because there is value in every student performing service.” Episcopal provides many service opportunities, but it is ultimately up to the student to take the initiative to get involved.
Many students agree with this sentiment; Kathleen Mark ‘21 says “We shouldn’t require community service hours because the point is to choose to give back.”
Rebecca Brinks, Director of Community Service, adds that it could cause the students participating in service to be “disingenuous.” For these reasons, EA has formed a smaller, more committed group of students dedicated to community service, the Community Service Corps. These students do have required service hours and strive to consistently serve EA’s community partners. With a multitude of service opportunities available, especially during the holiday season, the choice falls on students and general community members to reach out in the spirit of giving, become a part of something bigger than themselves, and take action.
Memmo reflects this thinking, saying, “Holidays really are the season of giving, and it is always nice to give back to those around us.”