What are your responsibilities as a Student Community Service Ambassador? 

“My responsibilities as a Student Community Service Ambassador include brainstorming and discussing new ideas for community outreach for each month’s specific service theme, meeting regularly with Mrs. Bader and the other Student Ambassadors to create a schedule for upcoming service events, and reviewing the discussion points for our Upper School advisory groups so that students are given adequate information about the service initiatives taking place each month.  I am also responsible for making collection bins for donations and organizing “civvies days” so that Upper School students can participate in the service projects while at school.  Secondly, I am the liaison between Mrs. Bader and tenth-grade students.  I communicate directly with Mrs. Bader about upcoming service events and then communicate all the information to my classmates.  Of course, when anyone has a question regarding the service project, I am always happy to speak with that student and answer any questions or concerns.”

How are you and other members of the community service team working to promote Goal Three of Sacred Heart’s Goals and Criteria, “a social awareness which impels action,” under the restraints of COVID-19? 

“The community service team has worked since the beginning of the school year to create opportunities for Upper School students to get involved in community service.  This is at the core of who we are at Sacred Heart Greenwich. We adhere to Goal 3 because we believe we have the responsibility of making the world a better place.  Even though service initiatives look a little different this year, due to COVID-19, there are still many opportunities to participate in community service.  For example, by participating in school-wide drives, the entire Sacred Heart Community is invited to donate necessary goods to people in need.  However, in the weeks following the drive, Upper School student advisories, or groups of students working together during or after school, will come together to sort and organize the donations and create donation bags to send to the charity we are partnering with.  This month, October, is breast cancer awareness month.  We will be sending our donations to PinkAid, Breast Cancer Alliance, and Greenwich Hospital.”

Why do you think that it important that the student and faculty community continues to participate in community service despite new regulations?

“Community service is an important part of life at Sacred Heart Greenwich because service is rooted in the mission of all Sacred Heart schools.  That mission is expressed in the Goals and Criteria.  When we serve others, we respond to Goal 3.  All students at Sacred Heart have been taught to participate in community service because we understand that, as a faith community, we are called to respond to the needs of those less fortunate.  Even though it might be harder to participate in community service this year, due to COVID-19, that is not a reason to abandon this responsibility.  The fact is, we need to face the challenge head-on and re-imagine how we can serve others.  We have to adapt to the reality that there are new regulations in place which require social distancing and have limited opportunities for us to be off-campus and out in the community.  In many ways, the challenges created by COVID-19 highlight the reason why now, more than ever, it is so important to reach out to people in need. We have all experienced a disruption to our lives on some level.  Whether that is the isolation we have experienced in recent months or the painful loss of loved ones, the pandemic reminds us that we are all in this together and that we must support people in their time of need.”