As every Padua student knows, service is an important part of life at Padua Academy. With the Big Sister/Little Sister service hours deadline approaching on February 26th, many girls are scrambling to find volunteer opportunities. Luckily, Padua offers many service connections through Urban Promise, an after-school care organization, Faithful Friends, an animal caregiving facility, and Special Olympics, where you can help children with mental disabilities. However, you can always volunteer directly for Padua, by helping out with evening events, or even asking teachers if they would like some student help. To research other ways to volunteer, contact Mrs. Alinda, or visit ‘UGIVE.org’ and volunteer to make a positive impact on the community.

Although there are many one-time volunteer opportunities, it may be a good idea to look into a routine service position while planning your summer schedule. After all, Padua encourages you to go above and beyond the requirements! In addition, Padua’s mission statement for the 2015-2016 school year is, “What makes me interesting?” Students can experiment with service positions to find a new passion and answer that question. There are several local facilities, such as Bellevue State Park, The Ronald McDonald House, YMCA, Petsmart, and the Delaware Food Bank, that offer long-term service spots. By becoming a volunteer camp counselor, lifeguard, tutor, babysitter, or animal caretaker, you can earn plenty of service hours while still having fun. For every passion, there is a service opportunity!