Our Middle Schoolers are always buzzing with activity, but Wednesday morning they were busy bees for a special purpose: service learning.

Each student participated in three hours of work that benefited our broader Portland community in some way. The students who ventured off-campus fanned out to 20 different organizations across the city such as the Oregon Food Bank, Medical Teams International, and the Woodburn Family Learning Center. Once there they performed an incredible variety of tasks: pulling ivy outdoors, sorting food, grocery shopping for individuals with physical limitations, and reading aloud to young children.

Those who remained at OES conducted a similarly diverse slate of activities. One group sewed colorful, soft superhero capes for patients at Randall Children's Hospital; another made food (including some incredible-smelling chocolate crinkle cookies) for the Transitions Project, and a smattering of students down in the art room crafted gifts and cards for senior center residents who are less likely to receive holiday wishes.

With holiday music playing in the background, the gifts group painted small ceramic houses, heaped glitter onto tiny trees, and hot glue gunned their way to great creativity. Maya M. '21 was carefully creating a card with a menorah on the front, and explained, "I made a Hanukah card because I thought maybe there wouldn't be a lot of others."

Nicely done to all of our students exercising their #OESPowerForGood!