The Foundation for a Meaningful Life
Kindergarten - Grade 9 in Southborough, MA
Character Matters

Meaningful Community Service

Making a Difference: How to Get Your Kids Involved in Meaningful Community Service

Most parents will agree that developing empathy and kindness in their children is just important as fostering cognitive and self-care skills. But families’ busy lives often get in the way, and community service often makes it onto the list of “would be nice if we had the time.”

Service shouldn’t have to feel like a chore - or, worse yet, merely one more box to check off on your child’s private school or college application. Meaningful service opportunities are everywhere if you know where to look.
 

Hands-on Service Opportunities

Finding a school that makes service learning a priority is one way to get started. Here at Fay, for example, part of our mission is to inspire students to go out into the world and make a positive difference. To that end, our teachers have moved beyond the traditional bake sale fundraiser (though we do those too, occasionally) to incorporate opportunities for meaningful service into our curriculum at all grade levels. The organizations listed below welcome individual volunteers, so you can contact them directly if you’re interested in getting involved.

  • Our Primary School students take a day trip to Cradles to Crayons, a local nonprofit that collects and distributes clothing and school supplies to disadvantaged children--and that offers hands-on opportunities for young children to actively help with sorting clothes and toys.
  • In Lower School, students conduct a holiday gift drive to benefit the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and a food drive to benefit Veterans Inc. They volunteer at Community Harvest Project’s farm in Grafton, and they serve as recycling helpers around Fay’s campus.
  • In Upper School, seventh graders learn about food waste and food insecurity. They conduct their own research, including interviews with experts from local nonprofits such as The Farmer Entry Project, which helps train new farmers to work in sustainable ways. Eighth graders address the themes of love and inclusion, and their winter term project focuses on honoring and including people with special needs. Students learn about several categories of disabilities, including physical, cognitive, and sensory impairment, from speakers who share insights into issues around access and inclusion. Ninth graders focus on the themes of esteem and self-realization through early childhood education. They partner with Head Start in Worcester to learn more about the needs of the local children who participate in the program; they learn about the importance of education in leading a life of choice.
 

Harness Your Child's Hobbies and Interests

Another great way to explore service is by connecting it to your child’s interests. Athletes and non-athletes alike at Fay enjoy volunteering at the Special Olympics basketball tournament that the school hosts each year. Our boarding students with a creative bent or an interest in building have enjoyed participating in Habitat for Humanity’s Operation Playhouse project, where they build and decorate children’s outdoor playhouses for families in need and local charities.

Group Service Opportunities

Encouraging children to volunteer their time as a group can be another valuable way to incorporate service experiences. Music groups can share their talents at a local hospital, or a sports team can volunteer their time together at a food bank or community clean-up day. It’s a great way to expose kids to service and creates a bonding experience for the group. At Fay, our Upper Schoolers have forged a connection with the Southborough Senior Center and have hosted musical events where the seniors participate in a sing-along with our students as well as academic events where seniors have shared their experiences of living through a time of war.

Want to get going today? Start small! As a family, you can also gather outgrown clothing, books, and toys together and take them to a local charitable organization that accepts donations. One of the greatest benefits of service is that children can learn other people’s stories and develop a better understanding of the different perspectives that we all have.

About Fay School

Fay School was founded in 1866 and is the oldest junior boarding school in the United States. Our 66-acre campus is located in Southborough, MA, just 25 miles from Boston. Our community includes 475 students in kindergarten through grade nine and includes 150 boarders in grades 7-9  from across the United States and over 20 countries. Fay is recognized around the world for its superior educational program, and our graduates are accepted to top secondary schools. Fay's program empowers students to discover their talents, develop their intellectual abilities, establish essential academic skills and knowledge, and define their moral character - all essential to living a life of meaning and making a positive difference in the world.

Learn more about Fay School.

48 MAIN STREET
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA 01772
main number 508-490-8250
admission 508-490-8201