Service Saturdays

January 16, 2021

Gilman's philosophy emphasizes a commitment to the community and service to others. At each grade level, there are specific age appropriate activities and school-wide projects.

Community Service Opportunities

BALTIMORE HUNGER PROJECT

Baltimore Hunger Project Notes of Encouragement:

All Divisions - appropriate for LS, MS, and US students (1 - 2 hours or more)

Create positive notecards with words of encouragement for children to take home over the weekend. These notecards will be inserted into the bags of food for the children and will provide them with positive words of encouragement over the weekend. You may drop off the note cards at Gilman’s Middle School on Saturday, January 16 between 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Notes should be no larger than a half sheet of letter-sized paper (8.5” x 5.5”) and can be made on any color paper. Card stock or construction paper tends to hold up best. They can say anything from “Have a Great Day!” to “Follow your Dreams!” All notecards must be non-denominational and age-appropriate. Below are some examples:

Have a great day! You are a Rock Star!

You are Amazing! Have a Wonderful Week!

What NOT to Say:

Please do not make any reference to religion, drugs/alcohol, house, room or home, food or belongings. Please keep sayings simple so that any age group (elementary to high school student) could understand the meaning.

Upper School

As the school’s mission states, “Gilman seeks to produce men of character and integrity who have the skills and ability to make a positive contribution to the communities in which they live and work.” Gilman’s Community Service Program provides an opportunity for students to develop their capacity for community involvement through service to others.

The goals of the Community Service program are to help each student become more aware of and sensitive to the needs of the larger community. The school hopes to provide opportunities for students to share their talents and realize growth outside of classroom and athletic responsibilities.

These are indeed unprecedented times and what follows is a representation of the current service-learning requirement as it stands now. Please know that the school may need to adjust the requirement as conditions change.

For this school year, students will be asked to complete a total of 25 hours of community service. Students may accumulate hours from multiple organizations and do not need to seek Gilman's approval of the organization prior to beginning service. Students may also select to complete service on campus for the Gilman community with select programs or club activities (see the list of opportunities below).

Students in grades 10 through 12 who have already completed 50 hours of service and have submitted the Student and Supervisor Evaluations are not required to complete any additional hours as a requirement for graduation.
Any Upper School student (including members of the class of 2021) who has not completed the school’s requirement will need to complete 25 hours of cumulative service during the 2020 - 2021 school year.
Students will complete the remainder of the 50-hour requirement (25 hours) within a fourteen-month period of time with an organization that has been approved by the school.
1. Students in the class of 2022 will complete the remainder of the requirement before April 15, 2022.
2. Students in the class of 2023 and 2024 will complete the remainder of the requirement before August 1, 2022, and 2023, respectively.
Use this form to log your completed service hours for the 2020 - 2021 school year.
Use this link to access the Student and Supervisor Evaluations to log your completion of the 50-hour requirement.
Use this link to access a list of possible service opportunities for the 2020 - 2021 school year.

Middle School

These are indeed unprecedented times and what follows is a representation or the current service-learning requirement as it stands now. Please know that the school may need to adjust the requirement as conditions change.

For this school year, students will be asked to complete a total of 10 hours of community service. Students may accumulate hours from multiple organizations and do not need to seek Gilman's approval of the organization prior to beginning service.

Students in grades 6 through 8 will be asked to complete 10 hours of cumulative service during the 2020 - 2021 school year.
Use this form to log your completed service hours for the 2020 - 2021 school year.
Use this link to access a list of possible service opportunities for the 2020 - 2021 school year.

Register here:

Johns Hopkins Hospital Kimmel Cancer Center Division of Pediatric Oncology

Support the 2020 - 2021 Lower School read-a-thon to benefit Johns Hopkins Hospital Kimmel Cancer Center Division of Pediatric Oncology

Appropriate for LS students and families; Perfect for MS and US students to support with donations

Gilman Lower School is excited to announce the annual Read-a-thon! The Read-a-thon will run from Friday, January 8th, 2021 until Friday, March 5, 2021, and is a celebration of our students’ love of reading.

This year, all funds raised will be donated to the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center’s Division of Pediatric Oncology. The division of pediatric oncology is focused entirely on the research and treatment of childhood cancers. As one of the leading Cancer Centers in the United States, Johns Hopkins is at the forefront of developing new treatments and designing clinical trials. Each year, more than 12,000 children and teens are diagnosed with cancer ranging from leukemia to sarcoma. Most of them will be cured and go on to lead healthy, productive lives because of innovative research and cooperative clinical trials. Each dollar makes a difference toward a future free of cancer.

Lower School students will receive information from their homeroom teacher on Friday, January 8, 2021. (MS and US students and families should contact dthompson@gilman.edu if interested in supporting our LS students)

Hilda's Place

Donations for Hilda’s Place

All Divisions - appropriate for LS, MS, and US students (1 hour)

Hilda’s Place is seeking donations to better serve its clients. Please consider donating any of the following new or gently used items:

Bedding:

including sheets, blankets, pillows, curtains, towels

Houseware:

including pots, pans, dishes, cleaning supplies

Clothing donations for adult and youth clients:

winter clothing, medium and large coats for women and men, socks, sweaters, and undergarments

Books/Games/Toys for children (boys under 12)

Books/Games/Toys for children (girls under 12)

Books/Games/Toys for children (boys 12+)

Books/Games/Toys for children (girls 12+)

Drop off donations at the Middle School on Saturday, January 16 between 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

OUR DAILY BREAD EMPLOYMENT CENTER (CATHOLIC CHARITIES)

Lunches for Our Daily Bread Employment Center

All Divisions - appropriate for LS, MS, and US students (1 - 2 hours)

Buy a loaf of bread or two, grape jelly and creamy peanut butter, and make sandwiches. Place those sandwiches in sealable plastic bags and bring them to school. Don’t forget to clean up! Drop off at the Middle School on Saturday, January 16 between 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Frozen Casseroles for Our Daily Bread Employment Center (Catholic Charities)

All Divisions - appropriate for LS, MS, and US students (2 hours)

Select one (or more) of the recipes to make with your family and then freeze it. You may deliver the frozen casserole(s) directly to ODBEC or you may drop them off at the Middle School on Saturday, January 16 between 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

PICKERSGILL RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Pickersgill Retirement Community

Appropriate for MS, and US students (1 - 2 hours or more); OK for LS students

Take a moment to write a letter to a resident at Pickersgill Retirement Community. Because of the restrictions on social gatherings, retirement communities have suspended all casual visits and many residents may feel lonely. A quick note to say hello could easily bring a smile to your favorite resident’s face. (Feel free to use Gilman’s address as the return address - 5407 Roland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21210 - rather than use your own.

Feeling Creative? Try one of the ideas below:

If you play an instrument and would like to do a performance...
If you dance and would like to send a video of your performance...
If you want to read a poem...
If you want to read a short story...
If you would like to sing a song...

Pickersgill is looking for volunteers to make videos to share on their in-house TV channel. If you feel like you have something to say to the residents or if you have a talent you would like to showcase, they would love to see it. You may send a Zoom recording or a file in an MP3 or MP4 format.

Contact the volunteer coordinator, Ms. Tricia Selko, for more information at tselko@pickersgillretirement.org.

Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude: Letters of gratitude for veterans, active military service members, and first responders.

All Divisions - appropriate for LS, MS, and US students (1 hour)

Every year, Middle School students write letters to express their gratitude to those who serve our country. Please consider joining this effort this year. You may write a letter (or several) to active service members, veterans, and/or first responders to thank them.

Please follow these guidelines for writing your letters. You may also send a digital letters using this link: https://www.veteransunited.com/operation-gratitude/

You may send your items directly to Operation Gratitude (address below) or you may drop them off at the Middle School on Saturday, January 16 between 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

SEND TO: Operation Gratitude 9409 Owensmouth Avenue, Chatsworth, CA 91311

Other Ways To Serve

Register here:

Community Service Requirement, by division

Middle School
Upper School

Middle School

Students in grades 6 through 8 will be asked to complete 10 hours of cumulative service during the 2020 - 2021 school year.
Use this form to log your completed service hours for the 2020 - 2021 school year.

Use this link to access a list of possible service opportunities for the 2020 - 2021 school year.

Upper School

Students in grades 10 through 12 who have already completed 50 hours of service and have submitted the Student and Supervisor Evaluations are not required to complete any additional hours as a requirement for graduation.
Any Upper School student (including members of the class of 2021) who has not completed the school’s requirement will need to complete 25 hours of cumulative service during the 2020 - 2021 school year.
Students will complete the remainder of the 50-hour requirement (25 hours) within a fourteen-month period of time with an organization that has been approved by the school.
- Students in the class of 2022 will complete the remainder of the requirement before April 15, 2022.
- Students in the class of 2023 and 2024 will complete the remainder of the requirement before August 1, 2022, and 2023, respectively.
Use this form to log your completed service hours for the 2020 - 2021 school year.
Use this link to access the Student and Supervisor Evaluations to log your completion of the 50-hour requirement.
Use this link to access a list of possible service opportunities for the 2020 - 2021 school year.