A Commitment to Community & Service Learning
Burke’s Community Connections is a parent and school-supported committee dedicated to inspiring students and families to adopt a tradition of community engagement.
In a normal year, each grade participates in activities such as:
- Food pantry work days for each grade at the Richmond Neighborhood Center
- Education and reflection relating to community engagement
- Grocery delivery to homebound seniors and individuals with mobility issues
- Gardening at the Richmond Neighborhood Center
- Food drives and other seasonal drives
- Purposeful projects for the Richmond Neighborhood Center and crafts for homebound seniors
- Performances for neighborhood seniors
Health and safety restrictions have limited student involvement at the Richmond Neighborhood Center this year, but students are still finding ways to serve their neighbors and strengthen our community! This year, fourth-graders had a special guest visit from a Richmond Neighborhood Center (RNC) staff member to learn about the food pantry during Covid and created Zoom guides for seniors to help them stay connected during these challenging times. Second-graders had a visit from the team at the RNC to learn about the “re-imagined” food pantry and created letters and pictures which are being distributed to the RNC food pantry participants. The sixth-grade project involved writing letters to elected officials to advocate for change regarding social justice issues like food insecurity and homelessness. As has been the case in prior years, all grades are participating in drives to contribute items that are being packaged into emergency kits by the RNC and distributed to seniors.
This year more than ever, Burke’s community commitment to service has remained a priority with the goal to encourage students to think beyond themselves and Burke’s campus; give them a developmentally appropriate understanding of community responsibility; and enable them to see themselves as agents of positive change in the world.