Service Learning is an educational experience, typically extended beyond the classroom and into the community, where students encounter real-world problems and learn how to problem solve.

On Friday, April 28th, 1,121 OLHMS students participated in Service Learning Day and collected a total of 5,605 hours of service! Service Learning Day brought our D123 students together to help and support our community and schools through various activities. Every student had the opportunity to give back, help our community, and learn valuable life skills and lessons.

After our 6th grade students learned about Philanthropy, they went to work! There were several opportunities for our 6th graders to help others and give back to our community. Each 6th grade advisory was given an activity where students created paper flowers for the nursing home, book markers for our OLHMS library, Cans of Hope for the Ronald McDonald House, Planters, Piñatas for Cosley Zoo, Fleece Toys, or decorated our 8th grade hallway with words of kindness.

When students made the Cans for Hope for the Ronald McDonald House, they first had to choose a theme, such as a superhero, to decorate for the outside of their can. Students also included words, images, and stickers to bring the can to life. Students final step was to fill their can up with words of hope, inspiration, and love. They used online resources and words from their heart to create beautiful letters and messages to kids who are fighting for their lives. The Cans for Hope will be distributed to children like Nyiah at Hope Children's Hospital- click on the link here to hear Nyiah's story.

Students who made Piñatas for Cosley Zoo contributed to the Enrichment Programs, which is a process that helps caretakers provide opportunities for the wild and domestic animals to exercise choice and control within an engaging environment. The goal of the Enrichment Program is to increase the opportunities for animal welfare, encourage appropriate behaviors between natural and diverse species, and to decrease the amount of undesirable behaviors. Making one piñatas at a time, our OLHMS students made a difference in helping animals at the Cosley Zoo!

Our 7th grade students had the opportunity to do a variety of volunteer activities for Service Learning Day. Students were separated into five groups, and each group visited one of our D123 feeder schools. When students arrived at their assigned feeder school, they participated in four rotations.

The first rotation consisted of students having the opportunity to read aloud to the elementary students. The books students read aloud to our elementary students were 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World for Pre-K; The One Day House for Kindergarteners; Say Something! for 1st graders; Dixie and the Good Deeds for 2nd graders; Kids Who Are Changing the World for 3rd graders; and Heroes of the Environment for 4th graders. These novels are special because Mrs. Maggie Omiecinski applied for a grant through the Ed Foundation, and she was awarded money to purchase these books for our D123 Service Learning Day!

The next rotation got students involved by playing orientation games with 5th grade students. Some games students played were Freeze Dance with Kindergarteners; virtual Tic-Tac-Toe, Heads Up 7Up and Paper, Scissors, Rock with 1st and 2nd graders; a Service Day word search, Heads Up 7Up and Paper, Scissors, Rock with 3rd and 4th graders; and a Service Day word search, Blooket, and Would You Rather game with 5th graders. The third rotation consisted of students cleaning the outside of the school and park. Picking up waste was a huge help for our feeder schools and community because it was one less item on our beautiful earth, and it continues to keep our living and learning environments clean. The fourth and final rotation tapped into students creative side. Students had the opportunity to reflect and create inspirational chalk designs outside of our feeder schools.

Additionally, some 7th grade advisories went to the Pollination Garden or Oak Meadow Park, broke into small groups, and were assigned specific jobs. Some students were assigned to pick up garbage, wipe down equipment, create happy chalk displays on the sidewalk, erase any scuff marks on the play equipment, spread mulch at the Bryan Barrett Memorial garden, and/or weeded around the Tree Nursery.

When students got back into the classroom, they reflected on their day. Students answered some questions that made them think about their day, what they did, how they helped others, what impact they made in their community, and asked what they would like to see Service Day look like next year. Additionally, students played a Service Blooket, they analyzed various videos and identified acts of service, and students wrote letters to upcoming 7th graders on their service projects and/or their gratitude of where they did service.

Lastly, our 8th grade students had the opportunity to go off campus and visit different locations for their Service Day. Some advisories went to The Farm and Nature Discovery School; The Little Red Schoolhouse; the Oak Lawn Public Library; Pilgrim Faith & Evergreen Park Food Pantry Food Drive; Johansen’s Farm & Nursery; the Oak Lawn Park District; Richards High School and Oak Lawn High School; and Cradles to Crayons.

For the first time this year, both of our local high schools of Richards and Oak Lawn were involved in our D123 Service Learning Day. When students arrived on the high school campuses, they were divided into groups and went through three different service activities with high school students. In the first rotation, students created beautiful cards for Prom Night asking high school students to make wise decisions, the elderly, and for Teacher Appreciation Week. The second rotation consisted of students creating fleece blankets for pediatric cancer patients at Advocate Children's Hospital. In the third and final rotation, students Chalked the Walk by decorating the sidewalks with beautiful and positive messages.

Another exciting first-time experience our students had was at Cradles to Crayons. At Cradles to Crayons, students participated in the Giving Factory, which consisted of 8th grade students sorting and packaging essential items for children across the Chicagoland area who are experiencing poverty. These packages included hygiene kits, backpacks and school supplies, and/or outfit packs. The packages students put together will help endless adolescent children who are in dire need. Our OLHMS students collected 695 pairs of socks and collected $1,025 from Variety Show for Cradles to Crayons.

Students who attended Pilgrim Faith & Evergreen Park Food Pantry Food Drive helped with a few different things. Before students attended Pilgrim Faith, our OLHMS school was collecting non-perishable items for several weeks to donate to the food pantry. After a few weeks, there was over 300 cans collected and donated to Pilgrim Faith's Food Drive. As food was being collected, 8th grade students went every morning during Advisory to organize and categorize food. The day before the event, students helped load all the non-perishable items onto the van to be delivered to Pilgrim Faith. When students arrived at Pilgrim Faith, they were divided into several groups were they checked food to ensure nothing was expired; they sorted food by categories; and placed each type of food in to-go bags. At the end of the day, over 80 bags of food was packaged for those who are in need.

At the end of the day, 8th grade students reflected on their day by answering various questions; they actively watched and analyzed what service is in videos like the Lorax and Sneetches; and they thought of different service opportunities that could be implemented in the future.

In all, our students absolutely loved and appreciated our OLHMS Service Day, and they learned the importance of giving back and helping others. Students are ecstatic to implement their service ideas for next year!