Service Learning

Our young hearts are driven by a powerful desire to make a difference. Each month, our students actively engage in service learning, extending their care and commitment to local, national, and global causes. 

Service learning at our Lower School is a vibrant tapestry woven with diverse acts of kindness and diversity. From heartwarming collection drives to inspiring assemblies, nonprofits adopted by each grade level, and engaging whole-school challenges, our students are immersed in the joy of giving back. Whether it's stacks of coats, food provisions, essential supplies, or pennies of change, our students and their families respond with boundless generosity. 

Every year, Lower Schools rally to raise donations and funds for impactful nonprofit organizations like Animal Rescue of the Rockies, Dumb Friends League, Filter of Hope, Judi's House, March of Dimes, Project Linus, Reach Out and Read Colorado, and the Ronald McDonald House. These young agents of change embody the spirit of service, showing us all the boundless impact that small acts of kindness can achieve. 

Our Middle School students are empowered to be agents of change, fostering a culture where service is not just an action but a lifelong commitment. 

Students are at the forefront of meaningful change through a variety of service avenues:

• Community Action Teams (CAT): Throughout the year, the CATs immerse themselves in projects.
• Nurturing young minds: Our students understand the significance of education and empowerment. They dedicate their time to reading and spending time with our Early Learning students, fostering a love for learning from an early age. 
• Filling plates and hearts: From preparing and serving meals at a sandwich line to engaging with elders in memory care units, our students spread warmth and compassion through every interaction. 
• Global outreach: Students understand their impact knows no bounds. They collaborate with peers at the Cochiti Pueblo, and families in Ollantaytambo, Peru, to serve their local communities, fostering cross-cultural connections and solidarity.

These service experiences are just a glimpse of the empathy our students showcase. Through these initiatives, our students cultivate a deep sense of responsibility and a profound understanding of their capacity to make a difference. They embrace service learning partners with open arms, collaborating with organizations such as Clothes to Kids, Colfax Elementary School, Denver Parks & Recreation, Denver Rescue Mission, EarthLinks, Food Bank of the Rockies, Judi's House, Kensi's Causes, Miller Farms, Project Cure, Sacred Heart House, SAME Cafe, Southwest Improvement Council (SWIC), Sun Valley Kitchen Community Center, and Women's Bean Project. 

As we work to shape future leaders, we also instill in our students the conviction that every action can effect positive change. 

To graduate, our High School students embark on a transformative journey of community service, completing a minimum of 100 service hours that challenge them to grow, engage, and impact their world. The path is multifaceted and tailored to each grade level's unique developmental milestone:

• Grade 9: Students begin their journey by keeping a journal, reflecting on 10 hours of service that deepen their understanding of community needs.
• Grade 10: Expanding their horizons, students maintain blogs to chronicle their experiences during 20 service hours and foster thoughtful self-expression.
• Grade 11: Students dive deeper into social service seminars, where they analyze their 30 hours of service. They assess their work's broader implications, reflecting on the social and spiritual dimensions.
• Grade 12: Culminating their journey, students independently craft video projects that synthesize over 100 cumulative hours of service, showcasing their evolution as compassionate agents of change. 

The High School partners with over 130 different organizations, some of which include Escuela de Guadalupe, Family Tree, GiGi's Playhouse, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Parkhill Food Pantry, Project Cure, and Veteran's Service Center.

Experiences and lessons learned during community service are integrated throughout the school day into the curriculum, discussions and activities, high school service days, and fundraisers. Multiple clubs integrate community service, providing the bridge necessary to move away from the “requirement” mentality to a mindset focused on building a community comprised of agents of change. This includes the highly popular Outreach Club, which collected more than 67,000 pads and tampons for the Gathering Place last year, and raises money for the Loretto Hunger Fund during the annual SHOUT (Students Helping Out) Week tradition.

Service trips give High School students an even broader look at issues. Some have included:

• Spring Break in New Orleans: They rebuild homes with Habitat for Humanity, contributing to the restoration of communities. 
• Loretto Motherhouse Summer Trips: Students run a summer camp for local children, work on the farm grounds, and connect with the Loretto Community members. 
• Blessed Trinity Leadership Academy in Ghana: Our students support the village of Akokoamong’s very first school, fostered by Ghanaian sisters in partnership with Loretto.