Supporting young people as they create change in their communities is a cornerstone of the Mission Society's work. It's through our volunteer opportunities that students have the chance to connect more deeply with the world beyond our classrooms, and cultivate valuable skills for the future. Year-round, we're inspired by our participants as they lead service projects with creativity, dedication, and compassion. Now, we want to take a moment to celebrate some of their incredible work, and what we're looking forward to in the new year.
This year, students worked with Bronx community members to unload, organize, and distribute a tractor trailer full of essential supplies to those in need. Basketball and soccer players within our Level Up program were given the opportunity to emulate the way their favorite athletes give back - mentoring young children with disabilities through a program called Kids Enjoy Exercise Now.
Students have also reached out beyond New York City, coming together to support refugees displaced by the ongoing turmoil in Syria. In collaboration with the Multifaith Alliance, they created postcards to send hope to the most impacted children and families. Mission Society Program Director, Jonathan Pinque, noted that this was an especially meaningful project for the small community of Yemeni students in our ELLIS Level Up program.
All photos taken in 2018-2019.
In 2022, the Mission Society is looking forward to launching an urban planning fellowship that will be open to 40 students at four of our transfer high schools. The goal will be to empower participants to identify problems where they live, and engage with local leaders in finding solutions. One of our partners, Nate Heffron, shared that the program will be successful regardless of whether or not students go on to have a career in the field - as long as young people are inspired, learn about their potential, and understand that they have the power to change our cities.
We hope to provide many more enriching volunteer opportunities so young people can further explore their interests, and experience real-world, project-based learning that builds on lessons from our classrooms. Next year and beyond, we're excited to support our students as they grow, develop new skills, and lead the way towards a better, brighter future.
To learn more about the amazing projects our students participate in each year, visit our blog or join us over on social media. Post written by Shweta Karikehalli.
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