Students working at Prospect Hill Day Care

All Nobles Middle School students participate in community service as part of their afternoon program. (Click here to read the mission statement of Nobles' Community Service program.) In place of practice or rehearsal one day each season, students, their coaches, and a parent volunteer head out into the broader community with their signature excitement and energy. Examples of placements/activities: engaging in active indoor games with the elderly, teaching basics of team sports to elementary school children, clearing and cleaning trails on conservation land, caring for animals at the Humane Society, and sorting gently used children’s items for agencies that provide services to families in need. Emphasis is on hands-on interactive experiences and exposure to a variety of volunteer opportunities.

The Middle School Service Board is made up of Middle School student volunteers, and meets biweekly. Anyone is welcome to participate, and students may attend as their workloads permit. The Board creates and implements community service activities on behalf of the Middle School community.

Kliptown, South Africa

The primary focus of Middle School service activities is a relationship with the young people of Kliptown, South Africa. The Middle School currently funds fifteen four-year scholarships for students in Kliptown. Fundraisers include a fall coin drive, a Thanksgiving Pie-Baking Drive, and various bake sales throughout the school year. The Middle School also leads at least one clothing/equipment drive per year, and the goods collected are brought to Kliptown in person by Nobles groups. Of the two weeks in March 2006 that 14 7th, 8th and 9th graders spent in South Africa, their time in Kliptown was the highlight. (Click here to visit the Nobles travel page.)

The Middle School also supports other community service learning ideas and activities suggested by members of the Middle School community. We rely heavily on parent volunteers and welcome new ideas.

Hunger Week

8th graders spend three days and two nights in Washington, D.C. the week before spring break each year. While they are away, the 7th grade spends a portion of each day examining hunger issues, both global and local. We tee up their experiences during Hunger Week with a speaker from the Long Island Shelter, who debunks many of the stereotypes about homeless people and helps students to gain a more realistic appreciation of the basic needs of all people, including issues of nutrition. The Hunger Week curriculum includes films, field trips, faculty sharing, speakers, service trips to organizations addressing hunger issues, and a variety of group activities to develop students’ understanding.