Academy of the Sacred Heart Empowers Students Through Service Learning

Every third Thursday of the month, fifth through eighth graders at the Academy of the Sacred Heart dedicate their morning to community outreach, participating in a Service Learning Program that has been a school tradition since the 1990s. This initiative teaches students the importance of involvement and giving back to their community.

Each grade level focuses on different areas of need, such as supporting the elderly or assisting those experiencing poverty. After each service day, students gather in the afternoon to reflect on their experiences. Principal Mary Reepmeyer explains, “I think it helps them just realize how grateful they are to be alive and to be going to our school and to have all of the things that they have and have the wonderful parents and families they have and the education that they receive – and they're more willing to focus on the present and what needs to happen around the community.”

Lisa Tebbe, the school’s director of marketing and communications, adds, “I think it just really helps them build confidence and courage. It helps them step outside their comfort zone.” Both Reepmeyer and Tebbe have witnessed significant growth in students throughout the school year, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection and self-awareness as part of the process.

While students may initially feel nervous about stepping out of their comfort zones, each service day becomes easier, helping them develop compassion for others in different circumstances. Reepmeyer, an alumna of the school, recalls, “I remember being excited about it. I looked forward to that each month. I was a quiet, shy student and so it did bring me out of my shell.”

The school also organizes additional service projects that involve younger students and families, such as assembling food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas. These traditions foster a sense of community and giving that extends beyond the classroom.

Throughout the school year, students continue to participate in the Service Learning Project. “I’m proud of our students,” Tebbe says. “They can tell that they're doing something meaningful, and it makes a difference to them, as they see how it impacts the lives of others.”

Academy of the Sacred Heart is an independent Catholic school and part of a network of 25 Sacred Heart schools across the U.S. and Canada. Tebbe notes, “Goal 3 of Sacred Heart education is: a social awareness which impels to action. This is something woven into the daily lives of our students — recognizing the needs of others and awakening in our students the desire to make a difference in the lives of others, their community and the world.”