The 2017 – 2018 school year marks the 15th anniversary of The Girls’ School of Austin. To mark the occasion The Girls’ School of Austin launched a ’15 Years, 15 Hours’ challenge to their community. Students, teachers, and parents have each been challenged to complete fifteen hours of community service over the course of the 2017 – 2018 school year. Eligible service hours include volunteering for a non-profit, helping out a neighbor, caring for the environment, or completing a fundraiser for a charity.
The challenge began with a school-wide service project benefitting victims of Hurricane Harvey. Students got together with their “school sisters” (multi-grade level groups they are a part of during their time at GSA) to make cards and banners welcoming evacuees displaced by the hurricane. Additionally, the girls put their creative talents to use by decorating puzzles for the kids’ corners that have been set up in the temporary shelters so that the children have something to play with during this challenging time.
Many students continued the volunteer work on their own over the weekend assembling ‘Welcome Kits’ for the evacuated families. Several students have already reached five or more hours. The Girls’ School has an overriding goal of 1500 total hours for the year from the GSA community. “We wanted to celebrate our 15th anniversary in a way that is both meaningful to our students, and gives back to the greater Austin community”, said Shanna Prewitt-Hines, Service-Learning Coordinator for GSA.