Windermere Preparatory School dedicates day to service

The Day of Service impacts various local organizations and nonprofits.


Juniors Julia Zampaglione and Suvir Talamas were thrilled hearing the positive feedbacks from teachers who received their butterfly kits after last year’s Day of Service that they decided to make the kits again this year.
Juniors Julia Zampaglione and Suvir Talamas were thrilled hearing the positive feedbacks from teachers who received their butterfly kits after last year’s Day of Service that they decided to make the kits again this year.
Photo by Liz Ramos
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Suvir Talamas recalled being a student at a Title I school and having limited resources.

As a Windermere Preparatory School junior with an opportunity to give back during the school’s Day of Service Jan. 22, Talamas decided to have the World Perspective Solutions Club, of which he’s the president, create butterfly kits to donate to Title I schools.

The kits come with a bag of soil, seeds from a native plant and an educational brochure that contains links to a video lesson the club members recorded. 

“I understand how it feels for a school to have a lack of resources, lack of creativity and the lack of initiative due to financial reasons,” he said. 

After hearing the positive feedback from teachers who received the butterfly kits after last year’s Day of Service, the World Perspective Solutions Club decided to do the kits again.

This year, 22 school clubs and organizations participated in Day of Service, which Justin Muenker, a social studies teacher and IB CAS and service learning coordinator, said is inspired by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his service. He encouraged students to think about the areas of service in which they’re most passionate. 

“The idea behind it was getting the students to not just check the box and do the service hours, although that’s sometimes a part of it for high school kids, but also to allow the kids who are really passionate about it to have the opportunity to pick a thing they care about and then get support from the school and their peers,” Muenker said. 


Freshman Grant Garcia, senior Diego Rovigatti Gasparini and freshman Adrian Delgado helped to make more than 300 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Matthew’s Hope. Extra supplies was donated to a local food bank.
Photo by Liz Ramos


MAKING THE WORLD BETTER

The student leaders of the clubs and honor societies within the high school that wished to participate chose the projects and the benefactors of their work. 

Muenker said about 25% of high school students stayed after school to participate in the Day of Service. The high school students were joined by teachers, staff and students in elementary and middle school.

“The thing I enjoy most about this day is seeing kids identify stuff they care about and do something about it, to be able to see them come up with an idea and engage both in service for the community but also try to navigate their own project management in a way,” Muenker said.

Sophomore Julianna Fousche said she walked around to the different classrooms hosting Day of Service activities and found it interesting to see the creativity of the various clubs and their activities. 

“No two clubs are alike, and it’s been interesting to see how everyone really (dived) into this,” she said. “They knew this was a good opportunity to help out. … It’s a great feeling (to choose and lead the service projects), because getting to know you’ve played a small part in the puzzle to make people’s lives better, make our world better, is great.”


Seniors Kathy Tran and Vivi Huynh made Chinese New Year lantern to hang around the Windermere Prep campus.
Photo by Liz Ramos
AMPED UP

Day of Service’s impact is wide reaching, starting with the Windermere Preparatory School campus to local nonprofit organizations and national organizations. 

While the Black Student Union made Black History Month posters and the Environmental Club painted community garden décor for the Windermere Prep campus, Science Olympiad created experiment kits for the Boys and Girls Club, and Kids for Music recorded music for local nursing homes. 

“It’s a really good symbol of community,” junior Aly Elsonbaty, an IB CAS student leader, said. “Seeing the impact you’re making is really heartwarming, especially when it’s so many different fields. It’s not just you’re helping one person or you’re helping one organization, there’s so many people impacted.”

When the school hosted Day of Service last year, 13 clubs and organizations participated. It has now grown to include 22 clubs and organizations.

“Each club we add helps more and more people, so seeing that growth has been amazing,” Elsonbaty said. “Seeing more commitment in what’s already existed has been amazing. More people have shown up for some of the same activities that we had last year, and some clubs that participated last year have amped up their participation and commitment. It’s beautiful to see.”

Elsonbaty supervised the Chess Club and AI App group making cards for the Cards2Warriors program, which sends cards of hope and support to individuals living with chronic pain and illness. 

“When your health is deteriorating and you’re not in full health, nothing else really matters; that’s your top priority even if you have the smallest cold,” he said. “Trying to make these patients’ lives better and trying to add happiness and tangibly help them is something really close to my heart.”

Muenker and students are hoping future Days of Service will see an increase in club participation as well as student participation. They would like to see more community organizations impacted as well. 

 

author

Liz Ramos

Senior Editor Liz Ramos previously covered education and community for the East County Observer. Before moving to Florida, Liz was an education reporter for the Lynchburg News & Advance in Virginia for two years after graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism.

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