Lower School Service Learning

Highlights

• Every year Lower School students enthusiastically participate in the Read for Ronald program. All money raised goes to the two local chapters of the Ronald McDonald House.
• Once a month, fourth- and fifth-grade students prepare a nutritious lunch and deliver it to The Bryn Mawr Consumer Center.
• Fifth grade students team up with their teachers to blend smoothies on Super Saturday. All proceeds from the smoothie sale go directly to support our Brain Tree Primary School scholarship recipient.

Lower School Service Learning Program Description

Service learning activities in the Lower School are developmentally appropriate for the younger child. Student Council is one of the vehicles for carrying out projects, including food drives and fundraisers. In addition, individual grades sponsor various projects involving the entire Lower School community, such as the 5th grade sponsorship of Trick or Treat for UNICEF and the 5th grade smoothie sale at Super Saturday to benefit the Brain Tree School.

The Brain Tree School in Uganda was officially named Shipley's "Sister School" by the Board of Trustees in the 2007-2008 school year and support of Brain Tree is the focus of many service efforts in the Lower School.

Other service events have included sewing pillows for The Arc of Chester County, a monthly cooking project for the Bryn Mawr Consumer Center, the 4th-grade holiday project that adopts families for gift giving, and the 5th-grade holiday project for Family Support Services.

Lower School children have traditionally participated in programs such as Read for Ronald, raising money for the Ronald McDonald House, and the Martin Luther King Day of Service. Often, the 5th-grade students are invited to join in outside-of-school activities with Middle and Upper School students.