Juniors Lead Annual Service Day

For eleventh graders, Trevor Day School’s annual Service Day consisted of student-led service activities and thought-provoking discussions. Student leaders of the Sending Sunshine Club, Heart Club, Food Insecurity Club, Ronald McDonald House, and Grassroots Grocery each led activities. Alongside these clubs, faculty members oversaw a Project Sunshine service activity and a discussion on food and community.

Groups were divided into five sessions for students to perform community service and contemplate the importance of giving back to their community. The Heart Club, Sending Sunshine Club, and Food Insecurity Club held a session where students could create cards to support each initiative. Julia Roodin ‘26, one of the Sending Sunshine club leaders, said, “we got so much service from our grade and we have gained popularity for our club. Everyone worked nicely together and shared kindness towards others.” For future years, Julia stated that she hopes to “bring our service work to all grades to inspire them to be creative and take leadership roles.”

Eleventh grade students enjoyed the card making activity because they could add jokes and insert some of their personality into the cards. Bryce Krein ‘26 said that she loved the activity because it “allowed everyone to be creative and personable.” For the Ronald McDonald House activity, student facilitators Jayden Derby and Riley Zaino explained that the organization helps families stay close to their children when they need treatment for a serious medical condition. Students were then directed to pack numerous items, such as toothbrushes and coffee pods, and leave a kind message for the recipient.

A few classrooms down, the Grassroots Grocery Club with student facilitators Will Patterson, Max Kobre, and Mateus Anacoreta, instructed students to make jelly and sunbutter sandwiches for people with food insecurity. For Project Sunshine, students filled bags with a notebook, crayons, and stickers, and shipped them to children facing medical challenges.

In another one of the sessions, Mr. Zheutlin posed the following questions to students: where does food come from, how can people eat well on a budget, and how can people grow food in a large city? Students were encouraged to discuss the questions with their peers and write their thoughts on a whiteboard. When interviewed, Mr. Zheutlin said the activity was “a chance to give context to what we were doing here” and “engage with different parts of the service story.” He also stated he was “impressed with students' willingness to engage with tough questions.” Students overwhelmingly enjoyed Mr. Zheutlin’s activity because it made them think about community gardens and the environment of the city. On behalf of the student body, thank you to all of the club leaders, facilitators, and faculty that made the Service Day possible.