Derby Stands Up

“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Every January, schools come together to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy and commitment to racial justice. Children quote his “I Have a Dream” speech and explore their own hopes and wishes for a more equitable future. In truth, Martin Luther King Jr. had many issues that he cared deeply about. One of these issues is the individual commitment to serving one’s community. His famous quotation “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve…You just need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love” is a guidepost for our annual Call to Service.

This winter Derby is holding our fourth Call to Service. Students in the Middle and Upper Schools are encouraged to complete acts of service at school, in their home, or in their wider community. Inspiration for these acts can come from teacher requests, suggestions on fliers created by Derby Serves, or their own creativity. Lower School students have been asked to find ways they can be upstanders for each other. Students are then documenting these acts on paper hearts and putting them on display in the Brown Art Gallery and the Lower School entrance with the hopes of inspiring others to also get involved.  

In schools, good service learning programs go beyond a drive or donation bin. They have students addressing real world problems, either on campus or in their community. Students observe the world around them to identify an issue that they believe needs to be addressed. The issue can be small scale, on the classroom level, or a larger, global issue. It is important that regardless of the issue, students feel ownership over the topic that they’re investigating. They then research the issue and collaborate with one another to figure out how they, as a child, can have an impact on solving it. When students feel empowered to enact real change that they’re passionate about, there is an increased investment in the project. Lastly, an authentic audience for the project is essential in reminding students that their work has real purpose. Whether working within the school to address a need, or working with a community partner, students put their proposed solutions into action. Students experience what it means to be a change-maker. The final stage of service learning is one of reflection. Taking the time to pause and consider the experience gives students an opportunity to learn from their own learning. What went well? What would they do differently? How have you changed as an individual along this journey? This type of reflection teaches students about themselves as both learners and as citizens. 

Along with intellectual curiosity, personal responsibility, and mastery of learning skills, service to one’s community is a major part of Derby’s mission statement. As part of a Derby education teachers are dedicated to ensuring that students can “make ethical and mindful contributions to an increasingly interdependent world.” Service Learning aligns beautifully with these goals, giving students a window into issues that they might not otherwise understand or encounter. When working with community partners, service learning can help build perspective taking skills and help students to think critically about experiences other than their own. These “windows” are important learning opportunities to all students. 

With the establishment of the Office of Community and Belonging, Derby is excited to bring more service learning opportunities to our students. We believe students should be authentically engaging with the world around them and feeling empowered to enact meaningful, positive change in their communities.