40 Days of Service

The Head-Royce Community Engagement Board is wrapping up its Martin Luther King 40 Days of Service project in partnership with the City of Oakland this coming weekend. The initiative — led by fellow junior Sophia Roy-Burman and myself — has encompassed many different kinds of engagement opportunities ranging from city and beach clean ups to face shield making and tutoring programs. 

The goal for this project was to help the School’s students volunteer in their local communities in such a time of need. Because of COVID, it has been hard for students to find ways to work on projects together and share their experiences. Co-leader Roy-Burman says that “it’s been a great way to look into different opportunities that I may not have typically engaged in — both online and in person — and find ways to give back to the community during this challenging time.” 

For junior Sid Chatterjee, participating in the Lake Merritt clean-up on January 17th “was a great way not only to engage with the community, but to safely see my classmates who I haven’t seen in forever.” 

Junior Margaret Ripsteen opted into a different opportunity, volunteering as an Achieve Academy reading tutor. Ripsteen described the experience as fun and rewarding, saying that “it has been super fun to watch my buddy’s reading skills improve as she tackles trickier books.”

The 40 Days of Service project provided the School’s students with a wide array of experiences, benefitting both the students and the wider community around us. The project will conclude with another Lake Merritt clean-up on February 27th. Hope to see you there!