8th Grade Learns the Value & Impact of Volunteering

At Sierra Canyon, we have a set of core values that prioritizes the intellectual growth of our students. Every year, we participate in the President's Volunteer Service Award, a national program that recognizes outstanding community service by students in 8^th–12^th Grade. The School cultivates a sense of empathy, responsibility, and social awareness by emphasizing community as a core value. It inspires our students to make a positive impact in their communities and encourages volunteerism. In support of the School's ongoing efforts to introduce the value of service, 8th Grade students participated in community service field trips earlier this month. Students were split into groups and visited separate locations: Operation Gratitude in Simi Valley and Food Forward in Camarillo.

After learning about the nonprofit Operation Gratitude and taking a tour of the facility, students assembled care packages for military families. They stuffed teddy bears known as Battalion Buddies, which are then distributed to the children of deployed military personnel. The bears are part of a care package that brings comfort to the children and families of the deployed, and throughout the three sessions, our students stuffed 410 teddy bears!

Our second student group learned about Food Forward's important work to assist those struggling with food insecurity by rescuing fresh surplus produce by preventing food waste. They learned how to correctly pick lemons and filled 23 cartons weighing 900 pounds! The volunteers felt a sense of fulfillment knowing that their efforts would make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate.

"At Sierra Canyon, we use the middle school years to introduce students to experiences that can develop into lifelong commitments and passions. Students at this phase of development are keenly aware of the local and global issues they will inherit as the next generation of leaders," Ms. Lindsay Koss, Director of Grades 7-9, shared, "it is wonderful to see students joined in a common purpose to help out. I look forward every year to our community service field trip."

These Trailblazers worked hard, and we know that their time and efforts are greatly appreciated by the people who received food, the children who will hug their new teddy bears, and by our entire Sierra Canyon community. We are proud of our volunteers and all they have accomplished and will accomplish in the future.