Service is a very important part of Wilmington Friends School and its students. There are plenty of service opportunities for students to participate in throughout the entire year. There are certain clubs and committees around the school that revolve around service. The clubs and committees directory says how: “Through membership in clubs and committees, students pursue goals that range from personal recreation, stimulation and growth to provision of governance and service within our community and implementation of positive change in the world beyond our walls.” Some students participate in community service out of integrity and stewardship, completing service beyond the required graduation limit.

The Random Acts of Kindness club (RAK for short) is an excellent representation of the quaker spices. When talking to Olivia Finizio, student clerk, she said how the club came to be: “In eighth grade, me and two of my friends, Bianca and Allie were just hanging out one day and decided to write letters to everyone in our grade just to be nice and it got a nice positive response and last year we turned that idea into a club.” The club focuses on making a positive presence and impact throughout the school community by organizing small events to brighten peoples days. Every month, the club picks thirty-six people at random to surprise them with treats by the library. They also organize other events around holidays, such as school-wide secret snowflake which they organized last year and this year as well. Finizio said how the clubs presence in the school community has “really made an impact on people and it’s made a difference to these people and they are trying to get involved, too.” The club also dictates and organizes other events around other holidays.

Recently, a new club has emerged called Unified Sports. In October, three sophomores went to a sports leadership conference in Dover in order to form this club. The club works with the Special Olympics participants to form unified sports teams with students that participate with other teams from across the state. Sue Kampert, new Human Dynamics & Development teacher and club supervisor, said how “it’s nice to bring Special Olympics participants and high school to form teams and play sports together.” There are multiple events that provide service opportunities for participating students. Events incorporate service days that include days of play with unified teams. The club plans to establish unified teams for the remainder of the school year and the following years to come.

There are many other clubs that involve service. Service Committee and Quaker Care are two clubs that revolve almost entirely around service. Both of the clubs provide students with service opportunities outside of school. Some past service opportunities with outside organizations that students in the class of 2018 have been given include work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware, Faithful Friends and many other organizations involving service. There is also ongoing service through Quaker Care. Students involved in Quaker Care and Service Committee go to A.I. duPont Children’s Hospital at points throughout the year to spend time with the children there. During the first week of winter break, some students from the club will be wrapping presents for the hospital. There are also other service involving activities and drives that are organized around the school, such as Stuff the Bus for the Food Bank of Delaware.

These clubs really reflect well on the Friends community and while service is hard work, it is incredibly rewarding, so everyone is welcome to contact these clerks to find out about further service opportunities!