Mavericks Serve with Joy and Purpose

7/18/2021

A spirit of service permeates Montrose, where all girls are called to be a part of something greater than themselves. Through class projects and individual efforts, Mavericks, engaged in service, are changing the world -- and receiving deserved recognition.

From pantry shelf stocking to Girl Scout projects to a baby shower for Boston-area pregnancy crisis centers, Montrose students actively seek opportunities to serve others throughout their Middle and High School years. Every year, each grade participates in a class-wide monthly service project with community partners. Due to the protocols put into place during the Covid-19 pandemic, this year was a little different; each month, one grade spearheaded a project that the whole school could learn about and participate in.

The year's projects touched on issues both near and far:

September: Mavericks learned about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and how they could help.
October: 10th grade increased awareness about the West Coast wildfires.
November: Juniors ran a drive for Dignity Matters, a non-profit providing feminine hygiene products to disadvantaged and homeless girls.
December: The whole school pitched in to stock the Holliston Pantry Shelf.
February: Seniors collected items for clients of Rosie's Place, the first woman's shelter in the United States.
March: 6th and 9th graders shared information about the Medfield Animal Shelter's needs and practices.
March/April: The Respect Life Club held a baby shower to provide material assistance to women facing crisis pregnancies through Pregnancy Help, a crisis pregnancy center in Boston.
April: The Multicultural Club, along with grades 7 and 10, collected school supplies for primary school students in Nigeria.
May: 8th graders led a letter-writing campaign for patients at St. Jude's after presenting information about the children's hospital.
June: On the last day of school, students had the option to participate in the CRUDEM Pack-a-Thon and create 20,000 meal kits to go to undernourished people in Haiti.

While 100% of students take part in service projects in school, many Mavericks don't stop there. Five have received special recognition for their work through Girls Scouts this year:

Emma Barry '22 earned the top Girls Scouts honor, the Gold Award;
Gabriella Dansereau '26 completed her Silver Award, the highest honor a Cadette (Middle School-aged Scout) can earn;
Madison Li '24 was one of only two students in the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts to earn the Spirit Alive medal this year; she also received the Pillars of Faith pin, indicating that she had completed four year-long studies and community service projects.
Cee-Cee Deslaurier-Tate '24 helped implement and coordinate a town-wide wildlife community service project in her hometown of Milford, gaining the Girl Scout Community Service Award in the process.
Carmela Silvia '21 has sold at least 500 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for at least eight years in a row -- a fact that the Metrowest Daily News celebrated in March. She also earned her Gold Award.

"My experience with Girl Scouts has helped me become a better mentor, communicator and overall person," Carmela noted.

Girl Scouts aren't the only ones looking for opportunities to make a difference. In fact, 10 Mavericks received a 2021 Parents' Independent Schools Network (PIN) Community Service award for six initiatives aimed at improving their communities.

Chaitanya Arora '23 tutored children in poverty. "As a tutor, it was really meaningful for me to see the kids get so excited when they first understand a concept. It made me realize how many kids struggle, but don’t get the extra help they need. It was worth it to be the one to help them learn and grow and gain confidence in their own abilities," Chaitanya said.
Emma Barry '22 started a Spanish language reading hour at the Millis library.
South Korean international student Min Park '22 earned two awards, for her work at two organizations: Boston Youth Shape of Harmony and Boston MS.
Maevis Fahey '21 founded the organization Youth for Yemen to spread awareness about the humanitarian crisis taking place in Yemen.
Grace Gulbankian '21 led the Thomas Upham Club in virtual activities to cheer residents of the Medfield rehabilitation and skilled nursing center. Along with Grace, Annie Bratschi '22, Kat Devaney '21, Isabella Flores '22, Carol Li '21 and Donna Phinney '21 earned PIN recognition.

Every single day, Montrose students are out in the world, becoming the best version of themselves and looking for ways they can serve with joy and purpose. In the words of alumna Katie Hogan '20, "Montrose has prepared me for life by instilling the importance of community and service."