Uppers in the World: Learning, Giving, and Growing Together
For the past two years, our Uppers students (grades 6–8) have taken part in a special Community Service elective right here on campus. They’ve helped with all kinds of tasks — you might spot an Upper helping preschoolers gently wake up from naps, reading favorite books, or offering snacks. Others join the Mups (2nd and 3rd graders) during choice time, playing lively games like Apples to Apples. Some students collect cardboard from recycling bins, assist teachers and staff, or even vacuum spots that need extra care.
Together, we’ve explored what it truly means to be part of a community — pitching in, doing your best work, and supporting those around you. This spring, our Uppers took that lesson even further. They stepped beyond Center School’s walls and brought their community service into the wider world.
Sharing Kindness with Stone Soup Café
When students brainstormed ways to help people in Greenfield, one idea stood out: feeding others. We reached out to Stone Soup Café, a pay-what-you-can restaurant that serves meals to anyone who walks through their doors. Since the timing didn’t line up for us to help in person, the Director of Community Engagement, Sarah Hillier, invited us to make greeting cards to deliver with over 120 springtime meals.
We were honored to welcome Stone Soup’s Executive Director and Head Chef, Kirsten Levitt, to talk with us about the café’s mission. She shared the history of the café and its commitment to dignity, inclusion, and good food for all. Students were inspired by how the café welcomes everyone, no matter their ability to pay.
Here’s what some of our students had to say in their thank you letters to Kirsten:
“It’s really awesome that you are able to help feed everyone that comes no matter how much they can pay. I also like how you have a little market and that you get your food from local farms!” - Tess
“It was so enlightening to hear you lecture us about the social entrepreneurship model that you lead Stone Soup Café with. I thought it was inspiring how you really engage with the community, from sitting with customers while they eat to letting them choose the name of the organization.” - Owen
“I also thought it was interesting that The Stone Soup Café has a social entrepreneurship and gives the same meals and service no matter what you do or don’t pay. I think that’s a good way of making good food accessible for everyone in the community.” - Milo
Art and Connection at Greenfield Rehabilitation
Students also wanted to connect across generations by doing a craft project with senior citizens. After reaching out to several local organizations, we heard back from Rhiannon Stafford-Wolfram, the Activities Director at Greenfield Rehabilitation. She invited us to plan a spring-themed visit and asked students to research and share a few Easter craft options, selecting one that would be most accessible for her residents.
With that in mind, students carefully prepared the activity — pre-cutting shapes so residents wouldn’t need to use scissors and thinking ahead about ways to offer support. During the visit, some students used hand-over-hand assistance to help residents with glue sticks or drawing, especially for those who were non-verbal or had limited mobility.
While parts of the experience were challenging, students came away with a deep sense of the connection they helped create. Their care, patience, and willingness to meet others where they are made a meaningful impact, and reminded us all of the power of small acts of kindness.
Training Future Service Dogs at Diggity Dogs
Our final community partner this spring was Diggity Dogs, a local training facility that places psychiatric, medical alert, and mobility service dogs. From the very first visit in March, students jumped right in. Trainers introduced them to foundational commands, and each student was given a clicker and a pouch of kibble to help reinforce the dogs' progress.
Uppers had the chance to work with both playful four-month-old puppies and more experienced older dogs — and quickly noticed the difference! The puppies needed frequent brain breaks (usually involving lots of petting and cuddles), while the older dogs were more focused but still full of charm and energy.
For our final week with DIggity Dogs, students participated in an exciting scent-training activity: they took turns hiding a cell phone in one room while a dog waited behind a closed door. We were all amazed when the dog successfully located the phone four times in a row!
This partnership gave students a firsthand look at the incredible intelligence and sensitivity of service dogs — and the patience, consistency, and care it takes to train them. It was an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.
Learning from History with Henny Lewin
One more deeply moving community connection was with Professor Henia (Henny) Lewin, a Holocaust survivor and powerful storyteller. Now 85 years old and living in Amherst, MA, Henny continues to share her story with people of all ages — a gift that brings history to life in the most human way.
Henny began by painting a picture of her early childhood in Lithuania — the rhythms of daily life and the love of her family. But her story soon shifted: being hidden beneath a staircase, smuggled out of the ghetto in a suitcase, and separated from everything she had known. As she spoke of the hatred, the hunger, and the profound loss her family endured, there were moments when her voice broke with emotion, and many of us found ourselves holding back tears alongside her.
Parents, students, teachers, and administrators were transfixed. Her words, full of pain and courage, held us in stillness for over 90 minutes. Her bravery, love, and honesty left a lasting impact.
If you don’t yet know Henny’s story, we encourage you to take the time to learn more. Her testimony — along with photos and family history — can be found online and through the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Her courage in remembering and retelling ensures we do not forget.
Here’s how our students reflected on her story:
“I was affected by hearing Henny’s story because of her storytelling. My head was thinking about the connections between my one ancestor and her. My heart was thinking about how amazing she is.” - Meyer
“The holocaust was about people hating on jews. There are still people hating on other people but it isn't jews, its immigrants and lgbtq people. I feel like if this keeps happening, we might even experience the same thing which sounds like going back in time.” - Damaris
“I imagined all the horror and I felt so sad for all the fallen and how scary it would be. It made no sense that a human being would do that to one another. If I was alive at that time I would have probably tried to stand up to the Nazis.” - Finn
“After hearing Henny’s story it made me think lots of things. I imagine that it would have been a terrible and scary time especially for a toddler. I am amazed at how Henny persisted, pretending other people were her parents when they really weren't… It was also incredible to hear all the hard work that her mother did, smuggling dozens and dozens of children out of the ghetto.” - Millie
At Center School, learning goes far beyond the classroom — it’s rooted in real experiences, deep relationships, and the everyday act of showing up for others. We’re incredibly proud of our Uppers for leading with heart, curiosity, and the courage to make a difference.