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Students achieving the full International Baccalaureate Diploma said they are hoping that students at Harrison High School and other students will help to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service a success, school officials said.
“If two students tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and they tell two friends, just imagine how many people would get involved,” said Allison Blunt, chemistry teacher and IB CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) coordinator at Harrison High School.
The MLK Day of Service "empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King's vision of a 'Beloved Community,'" school officials said.
Harrison High School students also submitted the following list of possible community service and outreach programs in the area:
- Food Drives – The Children’s Hope Chest supports two local food pantries – Carver Center in Port Chester and Neighbor to Neighbor in Greenwich, Conn.
- Birthday in A Bag – Friends of Karen in Purdys, N.Y. provides emotional, financial and advocacy support to families who have a child with a life threatening illness. The Friends of Karen organization mails “A Birthday in A Bag” to each ill child for each birthday. Cake mix, frosting, candles, party plates and napkins are put in a small gift bag with hand written Happy Birthday cards.
- Neighbor to Neighbor Food and Clothing Pantry – Sort donated clothing by age/sex and arrange clothing in the clothing room. Patrons are then able to “shop” for the items they need.
- Lunch Buddies Program – Help make lunch bags for the young children visiting their mothers at Bedford Correctional Facility.
- Adopt-A Dog/Cat – Volunteers are needed to do simple clean-up and socialization with dogs and cats. Contact your local animal shelter.
- Pancake Breakfast for Seniors – Contact the Harrison Recreation Department and find out how you can cook for the seniors in town. They would love to be treated to a nice meal. Don’t forget the sugarless maple syrup.
- Cookies for the Cottage School – Bake several dozen homemade treats for the student residents at the Cottage School in Pleasantville, New York.
- Give Blood – Although not a traditional service activity, it is still a very necessary service.
- Spend Time With People Who Have Special Needs – Share your love of music and dance, reading, art, sports, museums, movies, tutoring, fund-raising, special events and much more, with children, youth, and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities the Arc of Westchester serves. For more information, visit www.arcwestchester.org.
- Blythdale Children's Hospital - Harrison High's Madrigal Singers often perform for the children (as they did before the holidays in the photo above), bringing a smile to the faces of the children and the performers.
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