COMMUNITY SERVICE
Instilling a sense of personal and civic responsibility in students is something we take seriously. Our students learn the value of helping others, and you see that spirit at work at every age level. From packing goods for earthquake and hurricane victims to writing letters to those serving in the armed forces, our students and faculty put their hearts into helping others. By the time our students graduate, they typically accumulate more than the required 100 community service hours. The class of 2024 volunteered more than 57,000 hours, averaging 324 hours per student.
The lesson of charitable giving and community responsibility is taught early in our Preschool and Lower School with students helping to collect food and supplies for the homeless. Middle School students also give back as they participate in a day of giving at the Humane Society, senior center, local elementary school, beach clean up, food bank, and other charitable organizations. Our Upper School students put together our annual Utopia event in which student clubs lead games and give proceeds to each participating club’s charity of choice.
Holiday celebrations are also carefully planned to include school-wide partnerships and community service events. Halloween treats are collected each year and given to local nonprofit organizations and soldiers overseas. During Thanksgiving, canned goods are donated to local schools and food banks. During the December holidays, USchool families donate toys, books, and games to underprivileged children in the community. And, for Earth Week, students conduct lessons on the importance of recycling and sustainability, and a variety of other issues to educate others on this important topic. Many community service projects are schoolwide, and nearly all of USchool’s student clubs are focused on volunteering with local nonprofit organizations.
At NSU University School, we recognize the importance of being a responsible and contributing member of our community and therefore, encourage, inspire, and empower our students to make a difference in any way they can.
