One of the most meaningful experiences of the year at Trinity College School wrapped up as we looked back on the 13th Week Without Walls. Following two planning sessions and three days of service, Senior School students and staff had the chance to take part in a debriefing and celebration on Friday, December 8th.
Week Without Walls is a unique program that sees every Senior School student and educational staff member, as well as several operational staff members, work on projects that support our local community partners in the Northumberland, Durham, Quinte and Peterborough/Kawartha regions. This year, nearly 70 volunteer opportunities were available for students, across a wide range of needs, including animal welfare, environmental organizations, charity & fair trade stores, seniors’ residences, schools, child & youth organizations, libraries, shelters, food banks, housing builds and so much more.
On Friday, each of the groups met one last time to talk about their experiences over the week. This was followed by a celebratory event in Cirne Commons, which included special guest speaker Sandy Hudson (co-founder BLM Canada, activist & podcaster) who shared that when it comes to serving your community, each of us plays a role, noting that “we are the ones we have been waiting for.” Sandy encouraged students to take the lessons they had learned through their week of service and share them with others. “It is important to teach other people. We want these community commitments to continue beyond us.”
Then, students enjoyed the Week Without Walls video, created by a group of their peers, and featuring video and photo highlights from throughout the week. It was a moment to reflect on the many community partners who welcomed our students and staff, the friendships made and the greater understanding created of the challenges and successes experienced every day by those working to make our local communities better places to live and learn.
In conjunction with Week Without Walls, two international service trips were held, taking students to the Island School in Eleuthera, Bahamas and to Guadalupe, Panama. As the Island School group wrapped up its week of learning at this sustainable institution, they took time to volunteer at One Eleuthera Foundation farm, learning about agriculture on the islands. In Panama, students worked hard to complete a mural project at the school in Guadalupe, but also took time to enjoy learning about local culture and spending time with the young students there. Both groups headed back to Canada over the weekend.
All of these experiences, internationally and closer to home, provide a chance for students to understand the joy of giving back, the empowerment of making a difference even in the smallest way, and the value of building strong connections with those working in our local community. Thank you to everyone who supported this special week!
Click on the links below for more photos from the Week Without Walls:
