Community values at core of “Mission SG”

Our newly revamped weekly, co-curricular, life-skills program puts SG’s mission — to give students the opportunity to develop “the particular gifts that are theirs,” to prepare them “to handle successfully the demands of college,” and to lead lives “of constructive service to the world and to God” — front and center.

The program, in which all students participate, is now called Mission SG and is divided into four content areas tied closely with community values: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Health and Wellness; Episcopal Identity and Service; and Leadership and Impact. All faculty members lead sessions throughout the year, with groups meeting by form each Monday morning for an hour.

A committee of faculty members from various departments redesigned the curriculum last spring and summer, making student engagement a high priority, according to School Chaplain Jackie Kirby, who helmed the initiative. For instance, fourth-formers taking part in the Episcopal Identity and Service unit this fall organized and participated in the Annual Feed-a-Friend Food Drive to benefit the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport.

“Our commitment to service is rooted in our identity as an Episcopal school,” said the Rev. Kirby, who now leads the Episcopal Identity and Service pillar along with Associate Head of School for Student Life Mervan

Osborne. Teachers started by engaging students in discussions about what it means to be a faith-based and values-based institution. Activities were planned around the meaning of service. “We’re also giving seniors a chance to share their experiences with younger students and to plan service events and activities on campus,” she added.

When students engage in the DEI sessions during Mission SG, their experiences are grounded in one of four overarching topics: identity, diversity, justice, and action.

“Each topic corresponds to a form, with a progression that aligns with their lived experiences at SG and beyond,” said Associate Director of Equity and Inclusion Emmanuel Daring, who co-leads the pillar with

Director of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Kim Bullock. “Our intention is that the students’ understanding of identity and diversity lays the foundation for their work with justice and action in their upperform years. As they progress through this pillar, students will gain the skills to navigate, collaborate, and lead in a diverse world.”

The Health and Wellness pillar of Mission SG encompasses general, mental, and sexual health. Students are learning about fostering and maintaining healthy relationships; managing stress; anxiety, and other mental illnesses; substance use and abuse; and sexual health, according to Associate Dean of Student Life Rachel Horn, who leads the pillar along with Director of Counseling Caryn Manning.

What’s special about the Mission SG program is that while the content of each session was determined before the start of the school year, faculty members are bringing their own expertise and creativity to how they present the material, according to Director of College Counseling Kelly Richards, who is helping to oversee the Leadership and Impact pillar with Dean of Students Xander Jones.

The working group that reimagined the Mission SG curriculum developed a plan for the Leadership pillar that is focused on community building, personal responsibility, and citizenship, according to Mr. Jones. For fifth-formers, that has meant identifying their particular gifts and understanding their roles as future leaders of the community. Sixth-formers are being encouraged to be impactful during their final year on the Hilltop.

“In doing so, through the lessons learned, it is our hope that they will depart St. George’s and lead lives of constructive service to the world,” Mr. Jones said.