Rectory Students Reflect Upon This Year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

For their service project, students in my writing elective acted as reporters that day, observing activities and interviewing participants so that they may share original news and opinion pieces about the event. What follows are articles from our roving reporters, Guillermo M. '26, Samantha F. '26, Julia T. '28, and Siwan K. '26.

A Day of Giving that Keeps On Giving
By Samantha F. ‘26

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a way to give back to the community and help people in need while still having fun. But it also has other benefits.

This day gives people a chance to show a side of themselves we don’t often get to see: their artistic and expressive side. One of our activities was making paper stars to decorate our Library and hallways. This was done by one of our math teachers, Mr. Shen, who agrees that the day gave him and his students the opportunity to express themselves artistically. Another creative activity was painting mugs that would be sold to raise funds for and awareness of the California fires.

MLK Day also offers students and teachers a break from academics and allows everyone to relax and be themselves. Small things like organizing in the Library, for example, were very calming. I asked several teachers and students what they thought about their activities, and they said that MLK Day relieves them of the stress of school.

While providing relief, MLK Day of Service also gives Rectory a chance to give back to the community. Activities like making cookies for Meals on Wheels allowed us to treat the elders in the area. The cookies were delivered with Valentine's Day cards to elders in nearby towns. 

I talked with a few students down in the Art Barn to get some input on their activities, and I received lots of positive feedback. Adaline P. ’26 said, “I liked it. I loved making art, and we’re making ceramic mugs to sell to others to benefit the California fires.” Jun K. ’25 said, “I feel that it’s a very engaging activity that allows us to raise money to help others.” 

MLK Day at Rectory isn’t just a day to give back; it’s also a day of fun and relaxation and gives everyone a chance to show a side of themselves that not everyone gets to see. So really, it helps everyone involved. Whether you are on the receiving end or the giving end, MLK Day of Service gives everyone a chance to feel better. 

During MLK Day of Service, Students Helped Preserve the Legacy of the Older Generations
By Guillermo M. ‘26

As you may know, people in our school and community spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day trying to help other people. But it is not only about helping people in the modern day: it's also about remembering the older generations. That's what Mrs. Astarita, Mrs. Levesque, and the Library/Archives groups were doing.

As I was wandering around campus that day, wondering what to report on, I stepped into the Library and saw a whole operation of students looking at a bunch of yearbooks and organizing books. When I went to interview Mrs. Astarita, she told me what the students were doing. She said that they were helping Mrs. Levesque in the Archives to identify students and coaches in old yearbooks. When asked why they were doing this, Mrs. Astarita said that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used to speak of helping other people, so it was our turn to help other people. When asked about what was the benefit of the activity, Mrs. Astarita said that it was to preserve the legacy of Rectory’s past generations. 

Students in the Library were also given the task of shelving, organizing, and preparing to donate the older books. You see, some books in the Library were no longer of efficient use to us, mainly the outdated and reference books, so we were donating them so that we could make space for newer and more updated books. 

From the whole experience, I personally believe that this is the right thing to do. It is always important to remember our past so that we can know what right things to do in the future and what wrong things to avoid (of course, the typical history lesson). And just like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. back in his days, we have helped people in a deeper way.

What People Had To Say about MLK Day
By Julia T. '28

I wasn’t at school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. So, to find out about it, I asked some people who were here to tell me about their experience that day, and here’s what they told me.

Ginny B. ‘25 helped clean the YMCA pool. When I asked her if she would do it again, she said, “Yes.”
 
Soichiro S.’26 said he volunteered for a food bank to help give food to people. He said he would do it again because he likes helping out the community.

James S. ’25 said he volunteered at a soup kitchen and also folded clothing. He felt good about it because, he said, “It was nice to help people.”

Library Director Jessica Astarita cleaned the game closet in the Library for MLK Day. She said she would do it again because she liked having the students help her.

Director of Development David Turner made blankets for children who attend the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a place for kids with serious illnesses or medical conditions. Mr. Turner said it was a good day and project. They had three tables set up, and the students were in groups. One group had two boys and one had three girls. Each blanket had its own unique design. The kids seemed to enjoy it. He also gave them munchkin donuts for snacks. The School has done this project for two years, and Mr. Turner said he would do it again. 

From what I learned by talking to people, it sounds like MLK Day of Service was a wonderful day here at Rectory.

MLK Day of Service Was a Great Introduction to Rectory School
By Siwan K. ‘26

I am a new student at Rectory School, and my first day was interesting, as it happened to coincide with the MLK Day of Service.

I knew there was a day called MLK Day, but in my home country of Korea, we don’t celebrate it. I wasn’t even sure where to go for the service. Should I follow the school dress code, or is it a dress-down day? Without any information, I simply followed my dorm parent to the basement of the North Hamilton dorm. There, the other students and I began packing towels and bedding for the Summer at Rectory program. After three hours of wrapping and packing, I went up to my room and wondered why we were doing this service while other schools had a day off.

I couldn’t find the reason at first. But after two weeks, I discovered the answer while researching MLK Day in my elective class. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrates Dr. King’s dream of a world where equality and justice prevail, highlighting the interconnected struggles for human rights in the U.S. and Canada. Dr. King's commitment to peaceful protest serves as a reminder that meaningful change can be achieved without violence. This is the reason why we were doing service.

My view about MLK Day completely changed. In the beginning, I didn’t understand this event at all since this was the first time I ever saw this. But now I know. Just as Dr. King taught, doing service for others is a great way to make change in the world. And it was also a great way to be introduced to my new school.