Padua Service

Padua+Service

What do pet stores, hospitals, and the Padua open house have in common? They all offer great opportunities to do community service. At Padua, freshmen and sophomores must complete 15 hours of service, while juniors and seniors need 20 hours. Students find many creative ways to fulfill their requirements, typically employing their strengths and interests to do so.

Padua sophomore Lauren Griffith loves doing her service hours. She volunteers at her parish, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. She works at fundraising events, chaperones the younger kids, and is often painting decorations. She says, “If decorations need to be made I’m called in to come draw and paint. Some days I’ll spend 10-12 hours at the church just painting.” Having known her fellow parishioners since kindergarten, Lauren says that they have become family to her. One of Lauren’s favorite things to do is volunteering with her many friends in Youth Group.

Padua freshman Trysha Ortega does her volunteering at the Food Bank of Delaware. She typically packs produce, ranging from celery and carrots to enormous eggplants and watermelons. She enjoys meeting other volunteers and new people. Trysha says, “I think service is beneficial to a Padua student because it provides a way to give back to the community and help those who need it”.

Padua students love doing their service. While it may be required, most students go above and beyond the 15 or 20 mandatory hours because they enjoy it so much. From painting church decorations to packaging watermelons, each student can find a service opportunity that they like. Doing service offers a chance to give back to the community, meet new people, and have fun–what’s not to love?