New Service Opportunities for our Middle School Students this School Year
By Samantha DePriest ‘
Throughout the Bible, scripture calls us as Christ followers to spend our time on this side of heaven serving God and serving one another. In Mark 10:44-45 the Bible tells u, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” Author Kristen Welch wrote the book “Raising World Changers in a Changing World” and it follows her family as they discovered the beauty of sacrifice and the joy of giving. She shares “Perhaps the most powerful lesson we teach our children is that their unique places and positions in life are not for their convenience; they are for God’s glory.”
One of the best parts of the Middle School experience for our students is the training up of students as servant leaders. This is truly our school mission statement in action, “Preparing today’s student to impact tomorrow’s world; by educating minds for cultural engagement, equipping hearts for character development, and empowering hands for compassionate service.'“ Our Trinity family connects and grows when we serve together in the company of like minded Lions.
All of our middle school students in grades 6th - 8th are required to serve a minimum of ten hours each school year. before May to fulfill their community service requirement. They may serve in their churches, at local non-profits, in and around the community, and even at school. Many in-school service opportunities have been created this school year for students to serve during the school day on campus. This is an added benefit not just to our families but also to our school.
Chapel Setup Team
These wonderful thirty students arrive by 7:30am each Wednesday morning to faithfully serve and help set up hundreds of chairs for chapel in the gym. These chairs are used by several groups including our Upper Elementary, Middle School, and High School chapel services every week. Students complete their required hours by serving each week in this capacity and are such a blessing to our Facilities team led by Mr. Frankie Johnson.
Cafeteria Cleaning Team
To help with the transition between lunches, these amazing students help clear tables and pick up any remaining trash at the end of lunch each day to ensure our middle schoolers leave the cafeteria in manageable shape for our hard working lunch ladies between grade levels. These students pay close attention to detail and are sure to get every last utensil, cup, and wrapper off the floor and tables.
Students may complete their required hours by serving each week in this capacity. Ten middle school students have signed up for this opportunity to faithfully serve every day in both our main cafeteria and our High School cafeteria. They do such an amazing job making sure our cafeteria’s stay neat and clean for our students, staff, and visitors.
Cafeteria Cleaning Team (pictured left to right): Norah Clark, Lexie Floyd, Ryleigh Coker, Noah Williams, Cash Chambers, Caden Barajas, Max Simmons, and Katie-Marie Laws.
Community Service and Aide Class
This year, students have the option to consider dropping an elective in order to pick up our Service and Aide class. The goal of the class is to connect our students with service jobs and various needs around campus. Currently there are twenty-four students in the class from grades 6th - 8th. They go through the halls, locker rooms, and even the stadium in search of garbage needing to be disposed and lost and found items. They have even been known to assist in reuniting lost and found items with the right students, when items are labeled. This is a big win for everyone in our school community!
Community Service and Aide Class (pictured left to right): Front row: George Wilson, Evan Schloegel, Jake Lowery, Keaton Beane Back row: Sara Cheatham, Kinley Warren, Anniston McCaffrey, Lillie Curry, Melia Yarbrough, Mackenzie Clark, Ali Johnston, Hailey Hobbs, Caroline Gallucci, Sullivan Caruthers
Kiwanis Builders Club
Lastly, later this month is another opportunity for students to engage in service projects on campus. Builders Club is a student-led leadership and service group sponsored by Kiwanis International. Mrs. Natalie Jetter, 8th Grade skills teacher, 4th and 5th grade Bible teacher serves as the faculty advisor for Builders Club where students gain valuable experience in leadership and the development of empathy for those around them in their school and community for the glory of God.
Mrs. Jetter shares “Students assess the needs around them in their school and community, visualize service projects to help meet those needs, and then carry out those projects. Builders Clubs meet in middle schools all over the country and the world! In January of 2023, the first ever Kiwanis Builders Club was born at Trinity Christian School! Some of our service projects from last year included giving notes of encouragement to teachers and friends, collecting baby items for the Fayette Pregnancy Resource Center, and collecting $300 in coins to donate to the various ministries of Bridging the Gap in Newnan.“
The Club is held once a month on the last Tuesday of each month during 7th period electives. The first meeting will be Wednesday, September 27th. Students will earn 6.75 of the 10 service hours needed to meet the service requirement. For those interested in this wonderful service opportunity for their middle school student may contact Mrs. Jetter at Natalie.jetter@tcslions.org as soon as possible. Your name will then be added to the Builders Club Parent email list. Note: Please join the email list, even if your child was in Builders Club last year.
