At Prescott Primary Northern, we believe that the heart of education is not only in academics but also in shaping character and nurturing values. One of our school RISE Values is Service. Encouraging acts of service in children is an essential step toward nurturing compassion, responsibility, and a sense of community. By participating in acts of kindness, our students can grow into empathetic, conscientious citizens who understand the value of giving back.
This past week, my heart has been encouraged as I was able to witness multiple occasions of our students demonstrating the value of service. Our Year 6 team have been busy harvesting their kitchen garden, selling the produce to the staff to raise money for ADRA. As I was doing a school tour last week, I walked into one of our Foundation Classes and saw our beautiful Year 4 students, their buddy class, kindly assisting these little ones with an activity. Our students all participate in a service project each term, raising money and awareness for a number of different charities.
Service to others teaches children vital life skills. When they engage in community service, volunteer work, or small acts of kindness, they learn about empathy—stepping into the shoes of others and understanding different perspectives. These experiences can help students develop a sense of gratitude for their own circumstances and encourage them to be more supportive of those who may be in need.
As one of my favourite author and researcher Brené Brown reminds us, "At the end of the day, at the end of the week, at the end of my life, I want to be able to say that I contributed more than I criticized." This wisdom speaks to the importance of actively contributing to our communities, rather than standing on the sidelines. By encouraging our children to engage in acts of service, we help them become contributors—individuals who work toward positive change, rather than observers or critics.
Families also play a key role in nurturing a child's desire to serve. They can promote gratitude, model kindness and recognise and celebrate efforts, big or small.
By fostering a culture of service at PPN, we aim to create a school community where values such as service, kindness and generosity are at the forefront of everything we do. As we approach the final sprint of the school year, let's work together to encourage our students to embrace service, both inside and outside of school, so they can look back on their school year with similar reflections to Brene Brown, where they can say they contributed more than they criticised. Let's join them and do the same!
Blessings,
Tamara
