 | In the fall of ’02, North Cross embarked on an ambitious community service learning program. Since that first fall over 300 students, faculty advisors, and staff members have headed off campus for a full day of work three times each year, in the fall, winter, and spring. This translates to approximately 900 days per year of service work. The students are hosted by over 35 different social service, environmental, educational, and cultural programs and agencies which serve our community. The primary goal is to serve others, and in so doing begin to fulfill our responsibilities to our community. Other goals are to provide a wide variety of service opportunities, to learn how to work as a group, and to get to know the group better. A major benefit has been that our students have learned what impact a small group, or an individual, can have on community needs. Each group receives a brief orientation from their host to maximize the learning potential for each visit. Upon return to campus, the group reviews the day, their thoughts and feelings, and evaluates how much each member learned about themselves, each other, and the community.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Comments from the community and host organizations, the students, faculty, and numerous parents indicate that the venture is well worth the effort of all the individuals who contribute to its success.
Since its inception, the program has evolved through two phases. For the first three years all students got a broad look at service opportunities. Each work group, based on the advisory system, rotated to another type of service activity each trimester, thus exposing them to the wide variety of volunteer opportunities that exist in our area. For the second phase, the intent was to find the right connection with a program and work that was meaningful, and to be able work with that program on each of the three service days.
With three years of experience, the School has reached that point. Starting in the fall of ’06, Upper School faculty with their advisees selected a single agency they wanted to serve on each of the three service days. This would be their work site for the year. This plan offers them the chance to learn about the hosts in greater depth, and to understand more fully their needs and mission . It also affords the opportunity to establish more lasting relationships with the staff, and in many cases the people they serve. At the end of each year, the advisory can decide to continue with the same program for another year, or make a change.
The Middle School continues to focus on diverse experiences. They will continue to experience a different type of service work on each of their three outings. The intent is that by the time they reach the Upper School, they will have had sufficient experience and insight to make a meaningful contribution to their advisory’s selection process.
The Community Service Program has reached a level of maturity that makes this new direction desirable and possible. It would not have happened without the support of the dozens of community leaders who have been willing to share their time and experience with us. It would also not have happened without the many parents who have volunteered to drive to all the diverse locations. Finally there is the enthusiasm and effort of students and faculty in jumping into whatever needs to be done. As with all successful ventures, it has been a true community effort.
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Social Service, Environmental, Educational, and Cultural Programs Served By Our Students
- TAP Head Start
- TAP Transitional Living Center
- TAP Women's Resource Center
- Apple Ridge Farm
- Ronald McDonald House
- Habitat For Humanity
- The Rescue Mission
- The West End Center
- Raleigh Court Health Care Center
- Virginia Baptist Children's Home
- Trust Homeless Shelter
- Southwest Virginia Food Bank
- Friendship Manor
- Salvation Army
- Literacy Volunteers of America
- RAM House
- Clean Valley Council
- Virginia's Explore Park
- The Greenway Commission
- Wildlife Rescue
- City of Roanoke
- Roanoke Valley SPCA
- Camp Roanoke
- Virginia Save Our Streams
- The Science Museum of Western VA
- Va Museum of Transportation
- Roanoke Preservation Foundation
- The Jefferson Center
- Booker T. Washington National Monument
- The Greenvale School
- Herman L. Horne Elementary School
- Fallon Park Elementary School
- Westside Elementary School
- Clearbrook Elementary School
- Richfield Retirement Community
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| |  Malcolm DouglasDirector of Community Services;Assistant to Headmaster on Summer Travel Programs; Chair of Environme Yale University - BA University of Virginia - M Ed |
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