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GPS Students, Faculty, and Staff Participate in MLK Day of Service
School-wide participation makes GPS one of largest groups serving in Chattanooga.
GPS students, faculty, and staff partnered with more than 30 area nonprofit agencies and organizations across Chattanooga on Monday, January 15, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Amal Ali ’19 represented GPS at the city-wide kickoff event on the campus of UTC, where she read from Dr. King’s last speech.
Trish King, Middle School history teacher, and Sarah Jackson, Upper School Dean of Students, as active members of the city-wide planning committee, worked closely with the City of Chattanooga Office of Multicultural Affairs since last July to plan our school's involvement.
King spent months coordinating the event, reaching out to members of the community to identify areas of need, assigning students and faculty members to projects that align with preferred causes or organizations based on survey responses, and arranging all aspects of the day. “We want students to consider: What are some small ways we can keep the spirit of service alive each and every day?” says King, who also sponsors our school’s Partnership in Community (PIC) service organization.
Students met on campus at 7:45 a.m., gathering on the Defoor Patio, and then departed with GPS faculty and staff chaperones for various projects across our area. Others stayed on campus to complete projects such as writing letters to first responders and service men and women and making dog toys and treats for area shelters.
“To me there is so much value in continuing to live out Dr. King’s message through service and working side-by-side—not only with our peers, but also with those in our community—which allows us to continue to forge those partnerships,” says Meg Marshall, PIC president. “Especially our work in Glenwood shows me how much power there is in relationships and connecting with people. We’ve done a lot of work thinking about more intentional community service to ensure it comes from a place that’s not patronizing or perceived to come from a place of superiority.”
After returning to campus, the girls enjoyed lunch in the gym and then gathered in Frierson Theatre to hear Donivan Brown, Outreach Coordinator with Empower Chattanooga, share his thoughts on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., particularly the messages in King’s last days. A consultant, writer, and organizer who focuses on a variety of community growth challenges in the area of critical race theory and racial reconciliation, Brown challenged the audience to start conversations, break bread together, honor each other’s feelings, and be willing to extend grace to others.
After returning to campus, the girls enjoyed lunch in the gym and then gathered in Frierson Theatre to hear Donivan Brown, Outreach Coordinator with Empower Chattanooga, share his thoughts on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., particularly the messages in King’s last days. A consultant, writer, and organizer who focuses on a variety of community growth challenges in the area of critical race theory and racial reconciliation, Brown challenged the audience to start conversations, break bread together, honor each other’s feelings, and be willing to extend grace to others.
Some of the organizations GPS partnered with include:
- American Cancer Society
- Chambliss Center for Children
- Chattanooga Rescue Mission
- Chattanooga Theatre Centre
- Crabtree Farms
- Girls on the Run
- Hospice of Chattanooga
- Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga
- Lookout Mountain Conservancy
- Lula Lake Land Trust
- Maclellan Island Clean Up
- Operation Gratitude
- Outreach In East Lake
- Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center
- Salvation Army
- Scenic Cities Beautiful
- SEED - Identity & Diversity
- Sew2Serve at Glenwood YFD Center
- The Bethlehem Center
- Widow's Harvest Ministries
- YMCA
- Women's Fund of Greater Chattanooga
Be sure to check out GPS’s posts across social media for a plethora of photos during the event: #GPSMLKDOS18. And visit our SmugMug account to access photos for free downloads or to purchase prints.
