Service is an essential part of the Collegiate education. Regardless of grade or age, boys are expected to be active members of the community. And they do so willingly, lending their time and talents to one another, as well as extending themselves to those beyond the School walls. Throughout the year the boys, along with their families and teachers, work to engage themselves in the larger community through a variety of service projects -- big and small.
As a school committed to educating the whole boy, Collegiate seeks to cultivate the habit of responsibility to New York City and to the wider world. The Community Service Program strives to develop whole citizens, a caring community, individual leadership and fundamental human altruism. The service program and mission depends heavily upon reinforcement and support of the value of service in the home. We are deeply committed to encouraging participation in Parents Association community service activities such as Public Color Day, a holiday party for children and the Special Olympics.
Overview of Service in the three divisions:
Students learn about how to help their community and contend with problems in their world in a controlled and secure environment. They are given opportunities to become agents of change through active, hands-on service and relationship building that accompanies academic work on specific societal and environmental topics.
The students build upon their understanding of societal problems and increase their activism in the school and community-at-large. Certain themes from the Lower School, such as mentoring younger children, are continued in order to capitalize on the student’s knowledge and experience and to cultivate new interests in these fields. Each grade-level program has a connection to the service activities and learning of the previous year. Middle School students often participate in PA service events in addition to grade level service activities.
The Middle School Community Service Club performs service in the community, specifically working at the Holy Trinity Church Food Pantry, doing physical work cleaning and repairing the school, helping organize the library, working with younger boys, raising funds and organizing drives. In addition, the Student Government plays a leadership role in community service helping to coordinate certain activities.
After many years of doing service in and outside of the school as a part of the curriculum, the boys are now ready to perform service on their own in the community. They are encouraged to develop interests and use their own specialized knowledge and talents to perform service in the community, whether it be providing free computer lessons, working with kids or volunteering at a soup kitchen. Each student is given a roster of over 100 pre-approved sites in the NYC area that accommodate teen volunteers, and on-going and easily accessible service opportunities are made available to the students. The Upper School Community Service Coordinator, Meera Ratnesar, is available to create an individualized program for students.
Students have more opportunities to volunteer with their classmates than ever before. Each grade level has its own service project, and teams, clubs and Peer Leadership groups often participate in service activities as groups. Annual traditions, such as the Thanksgiving food drive and chain and packing gifts for the Children’s Hope Foundation, have also been established. Service activities are offered through the PA Service Committee, the US Community Service Club, the general Upper School Service Program and through individual grade levels.
