Taking Action for the Greater Good

The Power of the Lawrence Academy Community

by Ham Swartwood ’23, with assistance from CJ Schuster ’23

As a junior at Lawrence Academy, I have worked throughout my time on campus to help nurture the idea of “taking action for the greater good,” both at LA and off campus. Our school community is capable of helping many causes and inspiring others to do the same — and our success in these endeavors starts with our student leaders, club members, and those who work to uphold the values of the LA community. As a member of the Executive Board and a Spartan Leader, I have had great opportunities to work with Kimberly Poulin and other faculty and students to grow our community.

Understanding our situation and navigating school life during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be quite a challenge. Since early 2020, there has been no blueprint for how to maintain LA’s style of student life when we cannot always be together in person, which is why we are especially proud of the colossal effort students and teachers put in to build relationships at a time when developing them was difficult. Everyone worked hard, whether in person or virtually, to stay connected, and as a school community, we took the opportunities we had (being in-person for most of the 2020-2021 school year, for example) and turned them into chances to positively influence the greater Groton community: a toiletry donation drive for K-12 students with the help of Catie’s Closet; a push for donations of toys and gifts for For the Love of Erika; making greeting cards for senior citizens; and a longtime on-campus favorite, making no-sew blankets for two different charities. We also managed to hold several in-person events: a Polar Plunge as a fundraiser for Special Olympics Massachusetts; a car wash to help raise money for Rise Against Hunger (RAH); and a springtime Walk for Hunger around campus.

“The pandemic has had an impact on how we learn, socialize, and live together. Something as simple as eating in the dining hall has changed,” notes CJ Schuster ’23, a fellow Executive Board member and Spartan Leader. “Ham and I think the best way to define the LA community, though, is by its strength at the beginning of the pandemic.

“At LA, we know we are fortunate to be part of a diverse community that adapted to these ever-changing circumstances, and we did it together,” CJ adds. “The LA community constantly works to build each other up, forming both a collaborative and inclusive environment for all students.”

Thanks in part to fewer pandemic-related restrictions this school year, we achieved an incredible goal: We raised enough money to hold a 30,000-meal packaging event for RAH on Feb. 20. Additionally, through the Community Service Advisory Board and Rotary Interact Club, we held a

Photo taken by Auggie Swartwood ’23

popular calendar raffle to raise money to allow LA to host an event and build ten beds for people in need through Sleep in Heavenly Peace. In the coming months, we have planned a basketball clinic for Special Olympics Massachusetts; a food donation drive for Loaves and Fishes (a constant favorite); more chances to help Sleep in Heavenly Peace through the Sweetest Baker competition; a care package distribution to help push through Assessment Week; and Spartan Sweetheart, a version of the Secret Spartan fundraising project.

Of course, we can’t foster the greater good off campus if we aren’t first doing it on campus. That’s why the leaders within our community have been working extra hard to give students the full LA experience even during the pandemic. “Spartan Leaders have been able to adapt to these challenges, converting what would be a normal orientation to an inclusive and engaging hybrid/socially distanced one. The student leaders focused on keeping a sense of community in both online and in-person experiences. Several leaders stay on campus every weekend to ensure that students can have the full LA experience during on-campus weekend activities,” says CJ. We are both optimistic that we will build on this momentum this spring by bringing back some of our traditional student life experiences and even introducing some new ones.

“I hope we all leave with a sense of purpose and know through our experiences at LA that we can make a difference for the greater good one person at a time,” says CJ. Like him, I hope every member of the LA community can utilize their immense collective sense of school spirit and develop the skills learned at LA to encourage change for the greater good.