The student reporters of Marvelwood's weekly newspaper, Mouth of the Mountain, recently completed a three-week exercise in writing field interviews.  After a training session at the offices of The Lakeville Journal courtesy of Cynthia Hochswender P'12, the group fanned out to profile the work our students do every week at a variety of Community Service placements around Litchfield County.

 

 

 

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For the last four years, I have had the pleasure of leading a group of students to The Kent. The Kent is a specialty care and rehabilitation facility. Every Wednesday morning we trek down the mountain to visit some of the residents there. We talk to them about their lives, we ask them about their families, we create a friendship with people from another generation…oh, and after that, we play a mean game of bingo!

Playing bingo may not seem like a great contribution to our community. However, many of the residents we visit don't get any other visitors except us. While that may seem sad, I can tell you there is nothing sad about the moment one of our Marvelwood kids walks into the room and we see our adopted "gramma” or "grandpa's” face light up.

Yesterday, the kind people who run The Kent threw us a luncheon to honor our volunteerism. We ate with our "grammas” and "grandpas”. We cut up their food into small pieces, and we saw their eyes tear up when they said thanks to us.

Over the last four years, I have had a lot of really special Marvelwood kids who have represented our school very well down at The Kent. This year's group is extra special, though.

The bond they have made with the residents there is truly astounding.

This year, we have lost a few of our "grammas” and "grandpas”. A few months ago, we lost a very special friend who I had been very close to for four years. When I told my community service group on the bus, we all had a good cry together. I told them that I would understand if this community service was too hard for them, and that I could ask Mr. Augusta for a switch. Not one student has left.

I just want to honor these seven students this year who have made it special not only for me but for their friends down at The Kent this year: Jeanna Bracchita, Mackenzie Terrell, Brianna Canavan, Joslin Taber, Haley Muncey, Krystel Walker and Justin Liu.

While not all of you are honored with a luncheon the way we were yesterday, you should know and be proud of the difference you make in whatever your community service is. It is my hope that you remember throughout the rest of your life how good it feels to give back and volunteer just a little of your time. To some people, that small contribution can mean the whole world.

Just ask the residents of The Kent.