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Plymouth Whitemarsh High School

Hundreds of Colonial students volunteer on MLK Day

Hundreds of Colonial students volunteer on MLK Day

Colonial School District students of all ages joined together on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to give back to their community as part of the District’s annual Day of Service.

During the event held in the high school cafeteria, students in grades K-5 took part in service activities to benefit a variety of different organizations. Plymouth Whitemarsh High School students led the activities and assisted their younger peers with the projects. During each session, students from the Black Cultural Awareness Club and the Live and Direct Step Team performed and paid tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The American civil rights activist, who reminded everyone that “life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” has been the inspiration for numerous Days of Service around Philadelphia and its suburbs. Colonial School District is proud to join the tradition of honoring Dr. King’s contributions to the country through service.

This year’s event was supported by a grant from the Colonial School District Education Foundation, financial donations from employees and families, as well as material donations from Kurtz Brothers, 4Imprint, and Graboyes Window and Door.

Here is a look at the service activities available to student volunteers:

  • Making bracelets for Make-A-Wish patients
  • Selling lemonade and making lemons for Alex’s Lemonade Stand
  • Recycling t-shirts into pet toys for the SPCA 
  • Painting Kindness Rocks to leave throughout the community
  • Making an MLK mural
  • Raising funds for the U.N. World Food Programme through freerice.com
  • Sorting clothing donations for Cradles to Crayons
  • Sorting plastic caps to be recycled into picnic tables and benches for EcoPlastics
  • Sorting used sports equipment for Leveling the Playing Field
  • Making origami paper hearts for cancer patients
  • Writing notes on paper butterflies to be sent to a school in the Dominican Republic
  • Decorating t-shirts with MLK messages to donate to the local food pantry

The ideas for the projects originated from high school students who are involved in clubs such as the Black Cultural Awareness Club, the International Baccalaureate Programme Club, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), and National Honor Society. Over the past several months, a committee made up of administrators, teachers, and students met to plan the Day of Service and acquire materials. Families of students in grades K-5 were then invited to sign up as volunteers, and slots filled up immediately.

“Since the beginning, our families have embraced the Day of Service and we are so excited for everyone to come together in service in honor of Dr. King,” said Jessica Lester, Community Relations Coordinator and an organizer for the event. “It takes a lot of people to support this event, and we are grateful for the contributions of our Education Foundation, Kurtz Brothers, 4Imprint, Graboyes and many others who have donated a few dollars here or there to our efforts. We hope that this day inspires students to serve not just on MLK Day, but throughout the year in order to make a positive difference in our community.”

 

 

 

A girl wearing a pink sweatshirt hangs a paper lemon on a tree decorated with other paper lemons created by students.
A group of middle school students who helped run the snack bar at the Day of Service pose for a picture.
Students pose for a picture amid boxes of donated food that they helped sort on the Day of Service.
Three young women are standing together behind the Snack Bar at the Day of Service with various posters and displays visible in the background.
Two young girls are sitting at a table, engaged in an arts and crafts activity, surrounded by various art supplies and materials. In the background, other people can be seen.
Two young women are standing in front of a sign that says %22Bottle Cap Basketball%22.
A group of young women hold plastic bags full of donated clothing in the PW Cafeteria at the Day of Service.
A group of young people, some sitting and some standing, posing together in a room with a %22Pet Toys%22 sign visible in the background.
A group of five young women, all smiling, are standing together in what appears to be an indoor setting with a blue and red wall in the background.
Three young people, two males and one female, are standing in front of a sign about their station at the Day of Service.
Three young women are sitting at a table, engaged in an activity involving various art supplies and materials.
A group of young people are gathered around a table working on various craft projects, with supplies and materials scattered across the surface.
The image shows a group of students engaged in an origami activity, with a colorful poster displaying information about origami in the background.
A group of young men pose for a picture holding baseball bats that were collected during the Day of Service
A student holds a book and reads to three younger students

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