During this time of year, many of us enjoy holiday festivities with family and friends, but this season should also be a time of reflection and it’s an opportunity to instill in our students the importance of “giving back.”
Creating a culture of philanthropy has always been important at Cushman as part of our curriculum that instills good character as well as the virtues of courtesy, industry and responsibility in our students. Our philosophy is based on the belief that an organic sense of empathy and citizenship is fostered through service outreach projects.
This week, our Middle School students will be engaged in many events to ultimately support those in need a bit closer to home. Kicked off by the “Bake Wars,” each Middle School grade (6th, 7th and 8th) will sell baked goods during snack time on their designated day. Proceeds will go to Cushman’s very own maintenance staff to provide them a little extra cash over the holidays. Events culminate on Friday, December 10th, at the Middle School dedicated Service Day when students will rotate among three activities to support the following three organizations/initiatives:
REAP Peru – Students will participate in a walk/jog-a-thon to raise funds to support some hard by COVID. Students are working with Latin-American-based company REAP to purchase and package food to send our neighbors in Homestead.
Camillus House – Students will make sandwiches for the homeless seeking shelter at the Camillus House. Students will provide bread, sun butter, jelly and sandwich bags, and together make sandwiches.
Miami Jewish Health – Students will write holiday letters to the patients living in the assisted living facility at Miami Jewish Health.
Miami-Dade Adoption & Foster Care – Cushman students, in all divisions, collect gift cards in $25 amounts for tweens and teens in the foster care system, an often overlooked age group during the holidays.
At Cushman, we’ve learned that weaving these types of projects into the programming helps to encourage empathy among the student body and foster a growth mindset. Cushman students have always been reputed to demonstrate civic responsibility and ultimately make a difference in the world.
Learn more about our community partnerships: https://cushmanschool.org/our-community/community-partners/
Read about Cushman’s culture of kindness: https://cushmanschool.org/experience/cushman-culture/