Setting the 'Bahr' high for community service

By Emma Chang and Kenzie Chu

Marci Bahr has contributed a lot to St. John’s, including her own hair. For three years, she has repeatedly grown it out, partnered with a high school student, and chopped it off for Locks of Love.

After 31 years directing Community Service, coaching students, founding many beloved traditions and eating an immense amount of jalapeños, Bahr is retiring. Her role running the school’s volunteer efforts has included planning annual service trips to Costa Rica, running the Concessions operation and organizing the holiday drive.

Bahr began her St. John's career as a first-grade teacher before working as the Lower School Curriculum Coordinator for 11 years. She then taught English until 2004, when she took the position as Upper School Community Service Coordinator.

“My goal was to prepare children for the real world and to train them with the skills that they need to lead,” Bahr said.

Bahr began as a co-leader of the Community Service Department but quickly became its sole director. In the 19 years she has served as the Upper School Community Service Coordinator, she has raised the total number of service hours from 5,000 to 50,000.

“She has left a long-lasting legacy of serving and giving back to our community, and she's truly encouraged every single student at St. John's to give their time and talent,” said sophomore Community Service Officer Sammie Anaipakos.

Bahr started the grant that funds community service projects, recently named in her honor. She also founded the long-running Costa Rica community service summer trip in 2006, on which students teach English and math in rural primary schools.

“These things have been really important to me and for the CommServe program, and I hope they will continue,” Bahr said.

According to senior Community Service Officer Lucia Varma, Bahr is determined, engaged and authoritative, and she makes sure everyone sticks to their “beginning-ofthe-year promises.”

“She taught me a lot of difficult lessons and how to work with people, even when it's not easy,” Varma said.

Community Service Officer and junior Mackenzie Rice admires Bahr for her ambition.

“She doesn't stray away from really largescale community service projects because she knows how big of an impact they have,” Rice said.

On top of all of her community service initiatives, she has also coached Girls’ JV Tennis for 17 years.

Kalyani Pandya, a freshman on the JV tennis team, said Bahr makes everyone feel confident in their own abilites and puts their needs before her own.

“On the tennis court, she'll play with us just to make us all feel included, and there’s a big sense of community,” Pandya said.

This year, Bahr has found unique ways to teach court positioning by tying doubles partners together using a ribbon. The JV team has successfully used this method in practice matches.

“After practicing with the ribbon, it was