Community Service

Dear Friends,

In the late 70's, when I was around 9 or 10, I went to a Quaker school in Philadelphia (which was right down the street from the American Friends Service Committee). And I also went to our local Episcopal church on Sundays. I was not so much enlightened spiritually, though I certainly had plenty of time to explore! But I was hugely affected by the peace movement, which was at the core of both my church and school. Vietnamese and Cambodian victims of war and also refugees needed our help. I loved to help, what kid doesn't? So, every week, my class would cross the street and go to the basement of the American Friends Service Committee to pack boxes for Cambodian families, focusing mostly on kids our age. We packed crayons and pencils and paper, I remember touching all of it lovingly and proudly putting the spanking new items into the boxes. I vaguely remember packing acid bright, polyester (this was before "acrylic" I believe) tomato-red sweaters that screamed 70's. Actually, I'm not sure that part happened. It seems a very weird clothing choice for the tropics. Maybe I was just wearing that sweater while I packed.

Meanwhile, my church was preparing to welcome a Vietnamese refugee family. I remember some adults were painting their new apartment and stocking it up with kitchenware and sheets and things. When the family arrived, I was assigned the job of entertaining their baby. I took that job as seriously as I do this one.

Those two experiences absolutely shaped me as a person and as an educator. Maybe they are part of WHY I am an educator. To this day, my most impassioned work with children is around social justice, peace and service. When I first came to Center School as the Mups teacher, my class packed "infant kits," diapers and wipes and onesies, for Iraqi babies. Classes have done many service projects over the years, of course. And today, our work will focus on Ukraine. We are packing boxes for the AFYA foundation, who move humanitarian supplies all around the world. Next week we will drive what we collect to Yonkers, where it will be loaded up and moved to Poland for the Ukrainian people .

Your children, whether they're 2 or 12, will get so much out of this work. We should take a breath in the midst of all the devastating news, and tell them they are making a difference.

Peace,

Charlie Spencer

Head of School

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