Popular culture may tell us that America is "a nation of narcissists," but Anne McNamara, who oversees Durham Academy Upper School's community service efforts, sees it differently.
"In 2013-14, the seniors alone gave over 5,000 hours of service. And [Upper School] students together raised more than $13,000 for charity," McNamara said at an early October assembly. "Individuals contributed to the Durham-Chapel Hill community through their churches, scouting programs and research foundations, and international needs get our attention."
Seventy-two Durham Academy students were recently recognized by the Volunteer Center of Durham for their outstanding community service records. DA students represented the largest group of award recipients. More than 30 of the Upper School clubs that recruited members at the September club fair feature a service component, and representatives of five long-running student groups spoke about the value of service at the October assembly.
"I'm a part of WISER to give girls my age the education I take for granted," senior Chelsea Leversedge said of Women's Institute of Secondary Education and Research, which is a community development organization that aims to change the lives of girls in Muhuru Bay, Kenya, through education and health.
The school's WISER group raises most of its money through the A Cappella Jam — scheduled this year for Jan. 24, 2015, at the Carolina Theatre — with the help of DA a cappella groups XIV Hours and Acapocalypse.
DA's Stop Hunger Now group works throughout the year to raise funds for the schoolwide Martin Luther King Jr. meal-packaging event, during which students, parents, siblings, faculty and staff work together to package nutritious meal mixes for distribution to hungry people around the world. The DA community packaged about 25,000 meals at the 2014 event; this year's event is set for Jan. 19.
"About one-third of people in developing countries suffer from vitamin deficiency," said junior Matthew Mosca. "These meals are cheap — only about 29 cents per meal — and they provide nutrients that people need."
The Upper School's Go Green Club is responsible for school's recycling program, through which advisory groups take turn collecting recycling each week.
"As the year progresses, our school is able to keep tens of thousands of recyclables out of the landfill," senior Annabella Gong said. In addition to the traditional recycling program, the club recently launched a TerraCycle program, which allows for the recycling of previously unrecyclable items like juice pouches, granola bar wrappers and chip bags.
DA Habitat for Humanity Club members fundraise for the building of homes and participate in a build each year, senior Emma Eason said. She's enjoyed getting to know future homeowners as they work side-by-side to build their future, she said, and she appreciates the sense of accomplishment she feels as she sees homes week after week.
"I really want to emphasize that you only have to drive a short distance to have a really inspiring experience," she said.
Senior Katie Vincent spoke about the joy she has experienced as a tutor with DA's Hope Valley Tutoring Club, through which DA students work with ESL (English as a Second Language) students from Hope Valley Elementary School on Saturdays.
"Many bilingual students, as bright as they may be, may struggle in school and not receive the help they need with homework," she said. "Their parents want them to succeed, as evidenced by them bringing their children to Durham Academy every Saturday for almost 10 years now. We are grateful to be able to help these students."
In addition to community service performed through clubs and on an individual basis, DA sophomores and juniors contribute thousands of hours of service to the local community each year through the school's quarterly community service days. View photos from this year’s first community service day, held Oct. 8, on Flickr.