At Wesley Prep, we have a strong foundational belief in community outreach. The following are a few of the principles that are central to our outreach philosophy:
We cannot love our neighbor if we do not know our neighbor.
Each person we meet has value as a child of God, regardless of any other defining characteristics.
Listen and learn with empathy.
Our students are active participants in several service projects per year, spanning multiple grade levels. Students collaborate with both their peers and teachers, garner support from parents, engage with members of the broader community, and conduct donation drives, events, and more. Students begin leadership development through service as early as kindergarten and with each year, they grow into well-rounded, capable individuals that have the self-awareness, communication skills, and moral grounding to lead with purpose.
Last semester, our third graders began work on a service project that will conclude in late spring. They began their project by inviting the director of Rays of Light to come and share about the organization to build the grade’s understanding of what they do and the families they serve. Rays of Light is a Texas 501(c)(3) corporation that provides free, quality respite care to families with children with special needs, across the spectrum, in the Dallas metropolitan area. Together, they brainstormed ways they could partner together and build an ongoing connection. Next, students raised money through the “Pizza for a Purpose” event. Wesley Prep families purchased pizzas from the students, with the proceeds contributing to the grade’s event with Rays of Light.
To further build their understanding and empathy, students visited To Be Like Me, a disability awareness program for students led by people living with disabilities. With this knowledge, students could better plan an event that all Rays of Light families would enjoy. Students brainstormed, decided on an aviation theme, and “Planes” was the film of choice for the evening. They had a small photo booth, a coloring station, paper airplanes, and glow sticks to commemorate the event. During the movie, the WP third graders went around and offered popcorn and dessert and picked up the trash for our guests. We even had third grade parents volunteer as pizza servers. They were incredibly committed to ensuring that each family had a wonderful experience.
For the Rays of Light families, this was an opportunity to enjoy the experience of going to the cinema in a safe and relaxed environment. Many Rays of Light families do not typically go to movie theaters because their children might have sensory sensitivity to lights, sounds, or confined spaces. For the third graders this was an opportunity to better understand some neighbors who have a different life experience than their own and expand their ability to love them well. Wesley Prep students created a space that was both fun and accommodating for more than fifty attendees. There is a sense of pride that comes with knowing you have made someone’s day just a little brighter and our students did just that.