Service & Outreach
Students at SAS are required to complete 15 hours of community service for each year they are in the Upper School. From dish duty in the cafeteria, to work in a local food ministry, to just being mindful on a daily basis of the needs of others, our service is born of our sense of responsibility for the community we live in. When students know one another and their neighbors, it's hard not to lend a hand when one is needed.
Looking for Service Ideas?
- The Sisters of St. Mary's in Sewanee are looking for garden help
- The South Cumberland Plateau Summer Meal Program needs help with food distribution
- Do Something.org -- a youth-led organization that gets you involved locally and across the country
- Points of Light -- browse their database for a plethora of DIY projects and ways to volunteer online
- Smithsonian Institution Digital Volunteers -- transcribe documents and add them to the Smithsonian's digital collection
- Translators without Borders -- put your language skills to use!
- Project Gutenberg + Distributed Proofreaders -- contribute to the largest collection of free ebooks by transcribing or proofreading
- Donate items to the Community Action Committee's food pantry in Sewanee.
If you are interested in on-the-ground (contact-less) service opportunities in Sewanee, please contact Mrs. Malde, and she will connect you with a local organization that needs our help!
Past Projects
Recent large-scale community service projects have included:
- Helping with flood clean-up in Waverly, Tenn.
- Building bleachers in Trenchtown, Jamaica
- Outreach through a local food ministry
- Singing at a home for senior citizens
- Trash pick up in the local community
- Fundraising for youth development projects in Guatemala
- Mountain Goat Trail clean-up
- Labor at Mountain T.O.P. retreat center
- Support for local animal shelters
- Fundraising for the American Cancer Society through the Relay for Life
- Lending a hand for the University's Farms farm-to-table dinner
Independent Projects
Students also pursue independent short- and longterm service and volunteer opportunities. Some recent examples including:
- Running lights for a production at Nashville's Darkhorse Theatre
- Working as a volunteer firefighter with the Sewanee Fire Department
- Teaching orphans and refugees in Danang, Vietnam and Bangkok, Thailand
- Interning with the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
- Providing guest services at the Tennessee Aquarium
- Assisting teachers at Machanooga, the Jewish Sunday School in Chattanooga
- Volunteering at animal shelters, food pantries, and youth camps
- Helping classmates to complete Eagle Scout projects
- Working with refugees in Chattanooga
Zuni Outreach
Spring Break 2022 Outreach Trip to New Mexico
Dean of Students Geoffrey Smith and Director of Middle School and Outreach Rachel Malde led thirteen students on a service trip to Zuni Pueblo in western New Mexico for during 2022 Spring Break, March 12-19. The students hosted a Spring Break Camp for elementary-aged children and worked on some light construction projects. SAS is partnering with Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, an indigenous-led non-profit that is focused on strengths-based enrichment for Zuni youth. Students also enjoyed exploring the area and taking some beautiful hikes through the Petrified Forest National Park, El Morro National Monument, and Canyon de Chelly.
Jamaica Outreach
For almost a decade, SAS students returned annually to Kingston, Jamaica for a Spring Break service trip. Accompanied by teacher Rachel Malde, the students provided support to the populations of Trenchtown and Riverton. Over the years, the groups:
- Rebuilt a roof for a family for four
- Repainted and refurbished a historic community center in the Boys’ Town neighborhood
- Constructed and repaired stadium seating in the Boys’ Town soccer complex
- Tutored elementary and high school students in math, reading, and chemistry