Year of Service groups have already met several times this year, but Wednesday’s Community Day is the first time groups will have dedicated to go off campus or do other in-depth service work.
Here’s how some of our Year of Service groups plan to spend their Oct. 26, 2016 Community Day:
Animal Welfare Group
On Community Day, this group of 18 will investigate the various organizations that exist relating to their four categories of focus — pets, service/working animals, wildlife, and sport/agricultural/research animals. Students will also research these groups’ most urgent needs and learn about the different types of service (hands-on, education, and advocacy).
Cyber-Seniors Group
On Community Day, this group of 16 students will visit The Stratford for orientation, lunch, and social time with a group of older adults, and students will deliver lessons to the older adults on how to use the Internet to stay connected – and how to do so safely.
A special note about this group: This group is working in honor of Richard Conn, a former Stratford resident who was a consultant to and believer in the Cyber-Seniors program, who passed away recently.
Education Group
On Community Day, the 18 students in this group will spend the day tutoring elementary school kids. One group will work with non-native English speakers at Nora Elementary School, and another will work at Crooked Creek Elementary School. This group is also working on a school supply drive for The Lord’s Pantry.
Environmental Education Group
On Community Day, this group will travel to The Orchard School to consult with 2nd grade “forest experts” on issues facing the tropical, temperate, and boreal forests. They will then use The Lorax to investigate the topic of deforestation.
Housing Group
On Community Day, this group of 36 students will split up among four service sites. Two groups will be working on two Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis build sites – one will work on exterior trim and siding, and the other will be doing exterior paint. A third group will volunteer at the Indianapolis ReStore. And the fourth group will volunteer at the Hamilton County ReStore.
LGBTQ Advocacy Group
On Community Day, this group will visit the Indiana Youth Group (IYG) headquarters to learn more about the organization and to help them organize office space and spruce up the front yard. Over the course of the year, the group also plans to run a toiletries drive, donate art for an auction, and raise awareness of LGBTQ issues in our community.
Premature Births Group
On Community Day, this group of 35 students will bake and deliver cookies to NICU nurses, who will share what is needed to support families who have and nurses who work with premature babies. This group will also make purple ribbons and prepare for their community meeting about World Prematurity Day on Nov. 17.
Racial Justice Group
On Community Day, this group of 8 students will visit Butler University to learn how student diversity groups work with issues of racial justice in the college setting. Over the course of this year, this group will focus on ways to bridge cultural divides that perpetuate racial injustice, to network with the community to discover related initiatives that exist locally, and to encourage peers in and out of University High School to create a diverse community grounded in mutual respect.