Community Service
We believe in creating not only better students, but better community members.
Chesterbrook Academy in Goshen offers students the opportunity to contribute to the local community and learn civic responsibility. Each year, our students raise over $10,000 for local charities, and in the process learn about the valuable role of community service organizations. Students take the lead in the development and implementation of every project. See what we've done for the local organizations below.
Visit with West Chester Mayor
Last year the 4th graders were given a unique opportunity—to met the Mayor of West Chester borough. After conversing with her through email as part of a Learning without Walls project on Climate Change, the fourth graders were excited to meet Mayor Comitta. The fourth graders also were able to see some of their art work on display inside the Borough Building, across the hall from the Mayor’s office. The Mayor shared her love of art with the students, and then she toured the fourth graders around her office to see the artwork on her walls. She also took the students around the borough building and discussed the role of each office. The tour ended in a large meeting room where the students pretended to be a part of a council meeting. Here, the mayor demonstrated how the meetings run and gave each student the opportunity to come up to the floor and ask a prepared question. The students had an amazing time—as can be seen by their wide smiles.
The Great Pajama Drive
The First Grade students just completed their first community service project, The Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive. We collected 121 pairs of pajamas that will be matched with a book from Scholastic and delivered to children in need. Throughout the project the students completed activities across the curriculum. They wrote bedtime stories in Writing Workshop. The students also graphed and calculated the amount of pajamas collected and still needed to reach our goal of 100. The students discussed communities, community helpers, and community service. Once the students collected all of the pajamas, they boxed them up and delivered them to the post office. At the post office the students learned about the process of mailing a package. Back in our classrooms we sequenced the steps of sending a package in the mail. We also learned how to write an address and the importance of a zip code. To reward the students for all of their efforts in reaching our goal, we will have a pajama party. At the party the students will share their bedtime stories, receive a certificate, and do multiple Polar Express Activities. The students really enjoyed this Community Service project and we cannot wait to do it next year! This is an annual 1st grade project.
Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children
Second grade students organized a fundraiser where they collected money to purchase toys for the children in the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children. At the completion of the event, they delivered the toys to the children in person. This is a great example of children helping children! Students sell ice-cream at lunch and then they go out an purchase the items and personally deliver them each year.
Alex’s Lemonade Stand
The Parade of Pumpkins is an annual event benefiting this worthy organization. The children carve pumpkins and invite parents to visit and view them. The families also have opportunity to purchase and carve pumpkins, with all proceeds benefiting Alex's Lemonade Stand.
American Heart Association
At the 2012 Hoops for Heart event, children raised over $2,000 for the American Heart Association. That's over $14,000 total in five years!
Earth Day Groceries Project
The students decorated paper grocery bags with environmental messages. The bags were then brought to a local grocery store to be used by shoppers on Earth Day. The people in our community received a very clear and positive message that the students at our school care about our environment.
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