Ask a Pennfield Eighth Grade student what they did during their summer break and you just might be surprised by their answer. In between summer vacations, going to the beach, and spending time with friends and family, our upcoming Eighth Graders find time to do some pretty amazing things in our community!
Community service is something that is deeply instilled in Pennfield’s culture. Classrooms, clubs and individuals see needs in our community, state, country and internationally, and seek to find ways to fill those needs – gathering winter coats for children who have none, fundraising for the earthquake victims in Haiti, collecting canned goods for the local soup kitchen, or making Thanksgiving baskets for families in need. Pennfield is a generous school, and its faculty and students know that their efforts can and do make a difference in people’s lives.
“We strive to produce positive contributors to society.”
During the summer between Seventh and Eighth Grade, Pennfield students get to create their own Community Service project as part of a 20-hour requirement they must meet to graduate. Many students gladly give more than 20 hours and have, for example, created a special summer reading program at a public library for children with reading challenges, volunteered over 160 hours as a junior counselor at a summer camp, and volunteered to help encourage and support Special Olympians in their summer training programs. The tradition of giving back sets the tone for some very creative and truly amazing projects. Upon returning to school in the fall, each student shares their Community Service experience with the entire school in a Morning Assembly presentation. As our youngest students listen and learn about these heartwarming and inspiring programs, they, too, can imagine themselves as future leaders in our community, just like the Eighth Graders.