For more than 10 years now, Springside School students and faculty have spread out around the Philadelphia area to participate in a wide variety of projects benefiting over 20 local agencies during a Day “ON” in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Projects were as varied as bedding up stalls at Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines in Pottstown to assisting with Computer Time at the Mt.  Airy Community Computer Center.  Middle School students Maud Simms of Chestnut Hill (left) and Anna Singer of Mt. Airy enjoyed playing Scrabble and other games, as well as doing crafts with a resident of Sunrise Senior Living of Chestnut Hill.

Penn Charter students observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day by making casseroles in the Penn Charter kitchen, painting and planting spring flower boxes, and sorting and packing toiletries. Off-campus, students painted and cleaned the Finley Recreation Center, served the evening meal at the St. Francis Inn Soup Kitchen, and sorted and packed donations for Cradles to Crayons at Germantown High School.

As one of the over 20 projects taken on by Springside School students for the community during the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, senior Hannah Pilling of Chestnut Hill works with Head of History Department Helen Grady of Oak Lane (right) to complete assembly on a rocker before applying decoupage to finish it for the children at the Eliza Shirley House in Center City.  Students completed a number of chairs and rockers for the shelter and also made blankets for the Salvation Army.

GSFS sixth grade goes political
Greene Street Friends teachers know how to make the most of an opportunity. Sixth grade teacher Kiri Harris always tries to work current events into Social Studies lessons. Following one of the recent presidential debates, she posed this query to her class: “What is the one question you would ask the candidates?” A twenty-minute spontaneous exercise yielded far-ranging responses and a great bulletin-board display.
Being president takes a lot of responsibility. What did you do to prove yourself? Will you take full responsibility for your actions and what are your goals?  If you became president will you make America proud of you?  ~ Ibrahim Bey
Hundreds of Americans cannot afford healthcare. How will you change that?  ~ Kayla Coleman

Standing by their questions are (left to right): Brandon Graham, Ibrahim Bey, Amir Furman, Kayla Coleman, Phoebe Funderburg-Moore, Fa’zia Moore, Josiah Harmar, Sean Force.

Students from Norwood-Fontbonne Academy read moving passages from Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I have a dream” speech at a prayerful ceremony for NFA’s annual MLK Day of Service activities. Over 250 students, families and staff gathered at the school to honor Rev. King’s legacy and to assemble health/hygiene bags with almost 5,000 donated items, which will be distributed to the homeless men served by St. John’s Hospice in Philadelphia. Items included various toiletries, hand-sanitizers, toothpaste and toothbrushes, lip balm and disposable razors. Pictured (front row, from left) are Casey,