5 minute read
COMMUNITY
FINDING CREATIVITY IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
By David C. Weeks
GLOBAL EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE DIRECTOR
Before Covid-19, the river of life slowly meandered or descended rapidly. Carried along with its movement, each of us would bypass boulders or drift through the “flat” water. Occasionally, we would find ourselves savoring the calmness of deep eddy pools. These temporary respites on our journey allowed us to appreciate the meaningful experiences that have left us enriched. Passing the beauty found along its banks further enhanced the quality of our lives. Then it happened. The ever-moving river of life found its path blocked, and a dam exposing our lives’ fragility arrested the flow of our journey. The strength of that dam created a reservoir that has deepened with each passing day. Some of us, left floating, have peered into its depth for inspiration and have been greeted with resourceful creativity.
Recognizing the value of virtually partnering with middle and high school students during the pandemic, Blake Kohn, executive director of the National Network of Schools in Partnership (NNSP), contacted GCS. In March 2020, David Weeks, global education and community service director, identified five students who already proved themselves to be school leaders. The five—Middle School students Aicha Keita ’24 and Riya Madaan ’24, and Upper School ambassadors Emily Kavic ’22, Wyatt Olson ’22, and Sofia Vallejo ’21—participated in a three-month pilot program initiative, NNSP Student Task Force on Community Engagement. The GCS students were among 90 students from 11 states across the nation who learned from speakers on various social issues in large Zoom meetings and determined a topic of interest requiring financial support. With guidance from Close-Up Foundation facilitators, the group engaged in online research, prepared a presentation, and ultimately presented it to a panel of “Shark Tank” judges in a competition for possible funding. All the presentations were impressive, and the topic receiving funds was “Impact of Gentrified Housing on Homelessness.” Keita and Olson were members of the winning group, with Olson delivering a compelling presentation for funding. Olson combined the group’s research with his persuasive speech to explain the allocation of funds. “Our drive, work ethic, and overall teamwork were key characteristics prevalent throughout our amazing journey, and the outcome project truly showed our progression,” explained Olson. The victory is a proud achievement for GCS, especially considering the well-researched competition, all delivered with authority.
This valuable and empowering enrichment activity shows how students found inspiration and demonstrated resourceful creativity in their collaborative presentations on topics meaningful to them and their audience. Says Vallejo, “This experience was one of the most valuable in my high school career because I met students who shared the same interests as me, and I now have more tools to help me achieve greater change for my community.”
DISCOVERING THE RIPPLES OF JOY
By David C. Weeks
GLOBAL EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE DIRECTOR
The spirits lifted for many as the winter holiday joy rippled from GCS into the Maryland community. Even with the pandemic’s constraints, students, faculty, staff, and parents rallied to provide gifts to those with minimal incomes and the homeless. The ripples of joy extended from Howard County to Baltimore City. Donations of toys, games, art supplies, and toiletries were wrapped, placed in gift bags, stockings, and boxes, and extended to children, men, women, and families.
In December 2020, each division collected items for those in need. Students in the Lower School decorated holiday trees with socks, mittens, hats, and other warm clothing. In the Middle School, teacher Beth Glaros coordinated the purchase of 250 wish list items from four Head Start centers in Howard County. Volunteers wrapped the items for delivery to the Community Action Council, which manages Head Start. Eighth-grade students in the Maryland Youth Partners in Change (MYPIC) program, directed by David Weeks, brainstormed fun goodies to wrap and place in gift bags for the children and young adolescents at Sarah’s Hope homeless shelter in Baltimore City. Students also included personalized holiday greeting notes to the recipients, who had been identified by name, age, and gender by the shelter’s coordinator. In the Upper School, the students, staff, and faculty bought toiletry items locally or through Amazon. The donations were wrapped and placed in holiday stockings for 50 men and 24 women associated with the Recovery Network Halfway House of the University Psychological Center in Baltimore City.
A significant challenge in delivering holiday gifts was the wrapping process itself, which required collaboration between Middle and Upper School students.
Chukwudi Ezeigwe ’24 drops off wrapped gifts outside of the Upper School.
Middle School students brought in wrapped gifts while the MYPIC team purchased items and placed them in bins outside the Middle School. Unwrapped gifts transited to the Upper School for sorting and bagging by students, who picked these items in front of the Gould Building. Toiletry items collected in the Upper School were also sorted and
From top, left to right: Briti Nebhnani ‘21 picks up gifts to be wrapped from the Upper School; Gift bags and donated items await distribution at Sarah’s Hope; handmade thank you cards from Sarah’s Hope children to Glenelg Country School students and volunteers.
distributed curbside with holiday stockings in boxes for the student wrappers. With distribution scheduled for an early Saturday morning, students took home items to wrap and then returned to GCS with the final product in the afternoon.
After stuffing stockings, Weeks completed deliveries to Grassroots and Sarah’s Hope. The children’s coordinator at Sarah’s Hope was pleased with not only the gift bags for the 18 children chosen to receive them but with all the colorful and warm clothing items collected by Primary and Lower School families. Likewise, Grassroots staff very much appreciated the wrapped toiletry items for residents. The Recovery Network coordinator, who picked up the stockings, was grateful for all that the GCS community accomplished for its 74 halfway house residents.
Last December, happiness found not only those who benefited from the GCS community’s generosity but to the donors and volunteers who contributed time and resources to extend the ripples of joy to others.
