“Our Students Working to Support Others”

Starting in January 2006, Wolford Elementary began offering student service community project opportunities for their students. The value of community service to others is of paramount importance. Community service helps shape students into better leaders for the future. The purpose of our community service program at Wolford Elementary School is to respond to the needs of others, and to thereby enrich their lives. Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote, “When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.”

Helping others is a lifelong commitment that is important to encourage in our students. Community service projects are just one way that our students can learn to give back to others while experiencing positive opportunities to help their community. Community service helps shape students into better leaders for the future. This commitment on the part of our students also provides a valuable service in communities, allowing students to learn about courage and determination from people facing life’s challenges. Students gain personal satisfaction from community engagement and enhance their leadership skills while they are helping others. Genuine participation in community service demonstrates respect, and respect fosters trust. Knowing that you are helping the community gives one a strong sense of commitment and dedication.

A vast array of different types of community service projects continue to be underway at Wolford, such as supporting The Samaritan Inn; Student Council Projects such as providing clothing and holiday gifts to our sister school community, Malvern Elementary; Make a Wish Foundation; Fill the Bus (an initiative to provide school supplies to schools across MISD); Environmental Club projects to make our environment a cleaner and safer place and to conserve energy funds for MISD; projects from our KC Club members (Kindness and Compassion club), KShac (Kids Shac – 3rd grade student club working to promote health and wellness awareness); coat drives; Valentines for Veterans; and our Student Council members hope to spread a global thread to our community service to others by supporting two schools in Costa Rica –  Nuafa, a low income daycare and the Cam School, a school for children with disabilities, where they will distribute school supplies to low income families.  At the Cam School, Student Council will collect school supplies and shoes since students cannot go to school without the proper uniform and shoes are too expensive for families to purchase.  Eventually Student Council would like to also work more with the daycare centers to create educational materials for children in Costa Rica. These are all just some of our on-going community service projects at Wolford Elementary.

Our students ultimately reap the benefit as well as becoming a positive and driving force to support communities in need. Our school continues to be an alliance of parents, staff, and students, all working together to meet the needs of different school communities. The power of working together in this fashion helps support not just our students, but us all! The spirit of helping others is going strong at Wolford.