Service Learning

Inspired by the motto of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Actions Not Words, Holy Child Academy values and integrates many opportunities for service learning. With both action and prayerful reflection, our students discover that service is more than a box they need to check off at the end of the day or an extracurricular activity, but an invitation to transformation, growth, and relationship. By learning about the experiences of others, investigating different issues, and reflecting on the Gospel, we form disciples of Christ, agents of justice and mercy, and active members of their community.

One goal of HCA’s service-learning program is to pair each grade with a service partner. By focusing on the idea of partnership, students learn that service is not something we simply do for others, but participation in a shared responsibility to advocate for change, healing, and love in our communities. By working with the same partner throughout the year, students have an opportunity to form a relationship with the individuals involved and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges being addressed.

In addition to working with different service partners, students also participate in school-wide projects that serve the community. Such projects include raising money for a particular mission at the Halloween Mission party, preparing and delivering Thanksgiving baskets for families in the local community, and hosting bake sales to raise money for current causes, to name a few.

While we teach the value of service partnerships and organized projects, we also hope to instill the importance of carrying the spirit of service throughout the day. In particular, on any given day, middle school students can be found helping early childhood drop off their backpacks and walk to their classrooms in the morning, assisting teachers with cleaning up their classrooms at the end of the day, and helping teachers coordinate dismissal. Overall, students at HCA, learn that service is, ultimately, a way of life; an opportunity to give to others a love full of action.