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BB&N Gives Back to Cambridge Through Community Service

Middle Schoolers Ally Stellati '12 and Mikaela Johnson '12 read to an excited preschooler.

Whether they were toting toys to toddlers in need, waking up at 4AM helping to cook and serve a Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless, or picking up empty bottles and cans from the basin of the Charles River,  BB&N students on all three campuses gave back to their community through various acts of kindness and generosity this fall.

Lower School students in the One World Club (made up of 30 6th graders from all three classes) went from room to room to remind their peers about the canned food drive which they donated over 500 cans to Little Sisters of the Poor in Somerville. Putting forth a noble effort, Lower Schoolers also raised $2,251 for a UNICEF drive this year.

“The One World Club got the whole school to participate,” sixth grade teacher Karolyn Feeks said. “One student from my class elected to give $161 of her own allowance money.”  

Over at 80 Sparks Street, Middle School students and faculty continued their tradition of Giving Thanks Day—a community outreach project that always occurs the day prior to Thanksgiving where students break up into groups and perform different community service-oriented tasks.

A group of wide-eyed preschoolers from the Peabody School in Cambridge once again visited the Middle School for a morning full of playing games, reading and decorating cookies. Highlights of students also reaching out to many other organizations include:

• making lunches for the Cambridge day shelter On the Rise;
• delivering books, toys and clothes to the Cradles to Crayons center;
• visiting the Red Cross Food Pantry in Boston to donate food and help with its distribution on the Red Cross’ busiest day of the year;
• washing and and chopping 50 pounds of fruit and vegetables for Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen, among many other activities.

“The day was a real success,” said Middle School Coordinator Martha Newport, who highlighted several students for their outstanding efforts. “We had two student speakers that set the tone for the day in our morning assembly. Rebecca Nowiszewski and Harrison Hill both spoke on service activities they’re involved in. Serena Blacklow shared how she woke up (that day) at 4AM to make a Thanksgiving Dinner with all the fixings for one of the programs we were involved with. Her project was initiated because she and her mom wanted to do something as a family.”

Led by the student community service group Plan Action Committee (PAC), headed by Caroline Kotter ’08 and Molly Kalick ’08, Upper School students participated in a Community Service Afternoon, visiting 10 different sites in the Greater Boston area to perform community service work.

“Community service afternoon is always fun—we had PAC members go with cameras to get footage for our upcoming assembly,” Kotter said. “We will be giving an update on what we have been up to as well as showing a documentary of student interviews, community service day, and a documentary of my favorite soup kitchen in Harvard square. We will also have 2 student speakers and our favorite involved staff member Keith Jones speaking about their experiences.”  

Kotter also added that the PAC is working on producing a color, 12-page pamphlet illustrating 10 places where the BB&N community should get involved.

US French teacher Mireille Ciani took several students to the Sancta Maria Nursing Facility in Cambridge where the students performed for the residents as Ben Santucci ’09 filmed the proceedings.

“Terence Hsu played several classical pieces beautifully.  Debbie Guzman-Buchness ’11, who had forgotten her music, stepped up to the plate and sang several songs accompanied by Terence,” Ciani said.  “The music and songs were all appreciated by the audience, some of which were quite enthusiastic. As for me, I had the pleasure, not only to see our students at their best, but also to recognize one of the residents, a nice lady who worked for years at CVS in Belmont, and to talk with her.”

In addition to the Sancta Maria Nursing Facility, US students visited the Area IV Youth Center to work on organizing and cleaning projects, helped kids with their homework at the Cambridge Community Center, prepared and served a meal at Community Servings in Jamaica Plain, aided younger students in classrooms at the Ellis Memorial and Eldredge House in Boston, and cleaned up on the Charles River basin and esplanade among several other projects.  

US Community Service Coordinator and Spanish teacher Gabriela Gonzenbach agreed the day was a success.

“I took several students to the Community Servings Center in Jamaica Plain where we helped prepare salads and packed cakes to be delivered to families in need throughout the Boston area,” she said, “I hope that the spirit to extend to the community continues at BB&N.”

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