School Life
Community Service
Service Builds Caring and Leadership
The Community Service program at The Benjamin School supports the School's mission by inspiring students to develop personal responsibility, concern for others and a commitment to serve society. The program also reinforces the School's character traits and strives to teach children how to apply knowledge and interactive skills that address important school and community needs. Students discover new interests and abilities, learn to work cooperatively and assume leadership roles, as they experience the value of caring and helping others. The entire Benjamin community of students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff work together to make a positive difference through a variety of community service efforts.
2021-2022 School-wide Community Service Initiative
Although the School has already sent pallets of supplies and clothing to Haiti after their most recent earthquake and hurricane, and other community service is well underway, we are now poised to announce Benjamin’s 2021-22 school-wide community service project. Organizations within our community submit applications for these partnerships, and our selection is made by a committee through a carefully defined process. I am excited to announce that this year Benjamin will collaborate with The Arc of Palm Beach County for our annual service project.
The Arc of Palm Beach County strives to make every person feel welcome, connected, and accepted. Its mission is to change the conversation around disabilities by defying definitions, inspiring possibilities, and improving the lives of the people they serve, their families, and the community.
Previous school-wide projects have addressed issues in the areas of hunger, homelessness, health, education, foster care, adults with disabilities, and relief from natural disasters. They have all been extremely successful and meaningful, thanks to the members of our school community. Concern for others and a commitment to serve society are included in Benjamin’s mission statement and have always been an integral part of the School’s caring culture, starting with our very youngest students.
This service project is an opportunity to come together as a community - students, parents, faculty and staff, alumni, and parents of alumni - to positively impact our community. In doing so, we will also make our own school community even stronger.
As we kick off this year’s annual partnership, I would like to highlight some of the plans for the year that are already being made. These always expand because of the creativity and generous spirit of the Benjamin community. Included below are some of the many TBS-Arc partnered initiatives being considered for this year:
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Staff at the Arc will invite our students and faculty on a virtual tour and will talk to us about the good work they do in our community.
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WOW Annual Trike-a-Thon - WOW students will be invited to bring supplies to their annual trike-a-thon to share with Arc students.
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Annual Halloween Costume Drive - Grade 3 students will collect costumes to be donated to the Arc.
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Middle school advisory groups will create Halloween pumpkins to decorate the Arc’s group homes.
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Games and puzzles - Grade 2 will donate these to our new friends at the Arc.
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A portion of Benjamin’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive will be donated to the Arc.
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Benjamin and Arc students will share an art exhibit exchange.
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Benjamin students will create and film “How To” video presentations for Arc clients.
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Benjamin and Arc students will have opportunities to get to know one another in virtual interactions.
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As part of Benjamin’s annual Holiday Toy Drive, if they wish, our families will have the opportunity to donate adaptive toys that are suitable and enjoyable for children who have disabilities.
I hope this gives you an idea of some of the things being planned. We are certainly open to any additional suggestions you may have. It is our hope that everyone will find a special place to become involved as we build upon Benjamin’s culture of generosity and service to others.
Susan Poncy
Director of Student Services PK3-8
Main Address & Lower/Middle School
11000 Ellison Wilson RoadNorth Palm Beach, FL 33408
Ph: 561.626.3747
A premier PK3 - Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Since 1960, The Benjamin School has provided a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.