Service Learning - Trinity Episcopal School

Trinity Episcopal School aims to instill in our students an enduring appreciation for and commitment to the richness of diversity. We are committed to ensuring our students develop cultural dexterity within a community of people from various backgrounds.

"Regular and meaningful service activity in our local and global community is intended to open children’s eyes to the broader world, develop service as a habit of the heart and intentionally challenge students to step out of their comfort zones."

Each grade level partners with a community organization whose mission and services are related to curricular goals. Our students address real community needs in ways that are connected to and informed by their classroom learning.

Year-long partnerships create the possibility of relationship formation that transforms charity into mutual service among neighbors. Trinity students are becoming good citizens of the world as they answer the call to love their neighbors.

Our Service Learning Partnerships

Kindergarten

Service Learning Partner: Nourish Up

Service Learning Theme: Awareness and understanding of those who are hungry, socially-isolated and are in need of nutrition and social advocacy.

Kindergarten students will participate in the Meals on Wheels program each week as they deliver nutritious meals to individuals in the community who are unable to obtain or prepare their meals because of age or infirmity.

1st Grade

Service Learning Partner: Nourish Up

Service Learning Theme: Awareness and understanding of those who are hungry in our city and in need of nutritious meals.

During the year, students will have an opportunity to visit the Nourish Up Food Pantry at First Presbyterian Church and help to stock the shelves for those in need. First-grade students will also learn about hunger in our local community and will lead Trinity in a Food Drive in November. This food will be donated directly to Nourish Up. In addition to stocking the shelves at the food pantry, First Grade students and their parents will have the opportunity to deliver groceries to our neighbors who are unable to obtain food because of age or infirmity.

2nd Grade

Service Learning Theme: Awareness and understanding of and advocacy for adults with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities.

Service Learning Partner: InReach

Curriculum Connection: Our 2nd graders will build relationships with differently-abled adults involved in the self-advocacy class at the Baxter St. community center location and at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

InReach customers will visit Trinity once a month to participate in activities such as gardening, art, music and self-advocacy. Through the relationships built with these neighbors, our students will learn how to advocate for themselves and for the rights of adults with disabilities.

3rd Grade

Service Learning Theme: Awareness and understanding of and advocacy for our homeless neighbors in our city.

Service Learning Partner: Roof Above

Curriculum Connection: As our third-graders dive into learning about the community around them, they begin to the study the rich history of Charlotte. They continue on their journey of the City and social advocacy by partnering with the Urban Ministry of Charlotte.

Each month, they walk a mile to the Urban Ministry Center where they work with our homeless neighbors in Charlotte. From art projects to soccer to singing with the Urban Ministry Choir to holding clothing drives, our students work to get to know Charlotte’s homeless community and learn to advocate for those in need.

4th Grade

Service Learning Theme: Awareness and understanding of children with physical, cognitive, and social differences.

Service Learning Partner: The Epiphany School of Charlotte

Curriculum Connection: Our 4th graders will build relationships over the course of the year with students at The Epiphany School of Charlotte.

They will do this primarily by working in elementary and middle school settings at Epiphany. The relationships are intended to be reciprocal and affirming for both Trinity students and the students of Epiphany.

To build a foundation for the relationships, Trinity teachers reinforce learning about the human body and development, cognitive and social function, difference and empathy.

5th Grade

Service Learning Partner: Galilee Ministries of East Charlotte

Housed in the former St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Central Avenue, Galilee Ministries is a special mission of the Episcopal
Diocese of North Carolina and works with other non-profits to provide services to refugees, immigrants, migrants, and neighbors
in East Charlotte.

6th Grade

Service Learning Theme: Feeding Our Neighbors

Service Learning Partner: 8th Street Friendship Garden, Charlotte Community ToolBank, and NourishUp.

Curriculum Connection: Our students are able to directly connect their service learning experiences to their curriculum. Students also learn about crop rotations, the growth cycle of different plants, and food scarcity in local communities.

7th Grade

Service Learning Theme: Understanding Our Neighbors

Service Learning Partner: Crisis Assistance Ministry, Hope Haven, First Ward Child Development Center

Students investigate and experience social justice issues surrounding houselessness, addiction, poverty, and human trafficking, and reflect on what it means to take action to effect change.

8th Grade

Service Learning Theme: Advocacy and Social Action

Curriculum Connection: Students engage in community mapping and critical conversations to identify and address imminent needs in the city of Charlotte as they begin year-long advocacy journeys. They will use the skills and experience acquired to shape their Seminar social action research projects, culminating in a capstone advocacy trip to Washington, DC.