SPRING 2018
Servant Leadership Compiled by Upper School English Teacher Carolyn McCarthy and her Junior English Class
Sarah Grace Carr ‘19 and Caroline DeWalch‘19 in Guatemala
C
ommunity Service is a vital part of the Kinkaid experience. Kinkaidians of all ages serve the greater community in hundreds of projects each year, both those sponsored by Kinkaid and many other endeavors as well.
Why do we value service? Of course we understand that we can serve the needs of others, but do Kinkaid students recognize what service can do for them? Members of the Class of 2019 show that they indeed realize how acts of service have helped them grow and shaped them into the people they are. Thus, they are true servant leaders in that, seeing the benefits of service to both those served and those serving, they encourage others to give of their time and talents as well.
Fulfilling the needs of others can help us appreciate what we have. After helping victims of the Harvey floods, Carlos Abello reflected, “I have begun to realize how much my parents do for me and the opportunities they have been opening up for me…Since Harvey I have worked extremely hard to grow closer to my parents and understand how they are such great people because I want to be like them, and one day be able to teach my children what character looks like.” Sophie Lipman also helped out flood victims: “After returning home from Brittany’s house, I realized that I do not need to own super-expensive clothes, makeup and purses to be happy. It is more
important to be grateful for the people in your life and the experiences you have lived through. After helping Brittany clean up her waterlogged house, I realized that I do not need material goods to make me feel safe and secure. My relationships and memories will always be more important than expensive possessions.” “Looking back on the events that transpired after Hurricane Harvey,” said Jack Stallings, “I often think about how privileged and blessed I am and how possessions matter so little. I believe the storm changed me for the better, made me stronger. I also firmly believe that 20 years from now, people won’t look back on Harvey and remember the damage it caused; instead, they will remember how Houston and the state of Texas rallied and rebuilt the city from the ground up. I will remember the kindness people showed me and the kindness I showed people.” Working with underprivileged students, Madeleine Butcher concluded, “I have been built up for success since birth, while many have to actively make the decision and dedicate themselves once they are capable.” “Volunteering at Spring Spirit Baseball,” said David Cook, “aided my growth by helping me realize the special circumstances in which I live, and making me more thankful for all that I have. It proved to me that serving others is important. Helping people who do not have the resources that I have provides growth that is hard to find other ways. It serves as a means of giving to others while helping yourself. That cannot be done in many other ways. Serving others plays an important role in nurturing maturation and any opportunity to do so should be taken advantage of as much as possible.” “Helping kids in a third world country,” reflected Caroline DeWalch after working in Guatemala, “gave me an insight in what life is like 3