ASHLAND — A change in school uniforms turned into an opportunity for students to give back to the community.
Students at OneSchool Global’s Ashland campus participated in “National Make a Difference Day” by donating 215 items of clothing, almost 200 pounds, to the local chapter of Volunteers of America.
“Make a Difference Day” is an annual day of community service celebrated on the fourth Saturday of October. It encourages individuals and communities to take action to help others and create positive change. It also highlights the importance of community involvement and how working together through acts of service can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
The Ashland campus, 1940 Township Road 1255, joined 16 other campuses of OneSchool Global, an educational system with 120-plus campuses across 20 countries. They donated more than 1,800 pounds of clothing to different charities, including Goodwill, Volunteers of America, Youth Emergency Services, The Caring Tree, Red Cross and The Salvation Army.
The drive started after the school decided to change its uniforms. Instead of throwing them away, collection boxes were placed around campus at the beginning of the school year.
Collections continued for about four weeks as students helped collect, sort, fold and pack each item. Student Leadership Team member Jada said students filled about seven boxes.
“We had to sit on them (the boxes) to close them,” Jada said.
Parents and staff were also invited to donate, but students led about 95 percent of the project, according to campus Principal Thomas Coroneos. Students took responsibility for organizing the collection and preparing the clothing for delivery.
Students selected Volunteers of America because of its proximity to the campus and its work supporting the community. They also said the organization’s values aligned with their own.
“It is wonderful to see our OneSchool Global communities across North America come together around a shared purpose,” said Jonathon Borys, regional head of school at OneSchool Global. “While each campus has its own local community to support, this regional effort demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together.”
Building student leaders
The drive was primarily led by the Student Leadership Team. Four students were selected to help lead their peers and organize school initiatives.
In addition to SLT, there is a seven-member student council that helps organize activities and bring student ideas to life. Members work with the SLT to create projects and encourage participation from across the school.
The campus has also participated in other community service projects, including providing food to local firefighters and supporting the Wounded Warrior Project.
Students are already planning their next initiative, a toy drive scheduled for the upcoming quarter.
OSG knows the importance of helping students understand the value of giving back and supporting others as part of its learning. Opportunities like this allow students to put those values into practice, but students like Jada said you don’t need to be part of the SLT to make a difference.
“We don’t just lead the school. We don’t just do events. We’re here to teach upcoming students that you don’t have to have a name like a Student Leadership Team member to be a leader. You can just be anybody and show that you’re willing to help,” she said.
OneSchool Global is demonstrating through this initiative how meaningful action, no matter the scale, can help make a positive difference in the lives of others and strengthen the communities it serves.
“These kinds of opportunities are going to benefit them long term,” Coroneos said. “They’re going to gain the confidence to be able to do even bigger things and more important things and meaningful things in the future, for the community they live in and also beyond that.”
About OneSchool Global
OneSchool Global is an educational system attended by families of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church with 120-plus campuses across 20 countries, where it provides an innovative learning and teaching program to more than 8,000 students. For more information about OSG, go to www.oneschoolglobal.com.
