Service Continues as Cornerstone to Episcopal High School Houston

Service is a foundation block at Episcopal High School (EHS) in Houston. The aim is to educate the EHS community about the needs both within the community and in the broader Houston community and to inspire students to develop a lifelong passion for service.

Beginning in freshman year, students are introduced to the Students of Service Organization (SOS) through a required, beginning-of-school project called “Freshman Service Experience.” Twelfth graders are required to complete a “Senior Outreach” project.

In 2021-2022, SOS went a step further by giving students an option to join a year-long “Service Achievement Program” aimed at learning, leading, teaching, reflecting, and serving.

The Service Achievement Program allows students to do a deep dive into service, according to EHS Dean of Spiritual Life Beth Holden.

“We’ve had 80-90 students undertake it in both years we’ve offered it,” Holden said.

Hours for all SOS projects are tracked through a new app called “Helper Helper.” It tracks student service projects and promotes upcoming service projects so that students can discover upcoming opportunities.

In 2022, students packaged pet food at a shelter. A nature conservative was revitalized as students weeded, dug, and planted. Disadvantaged children benefited from snack packs, arts-and-crafts, and tutoring students provided.

Last February, students taking on the year-long service project led the EHS Day of Service. On a Saturday, all students and their families, staff, and faculty worked to package staples at the Houston Food Bank.

Spiritual Life Board

Formed in 2022 as a means to share spiritual activities throughout EHS organizations, Spiritual Life Board enlists both faculty and student representatives. At monthly meetings, attendees compile activities to share for the calendar. The goal is to have more networking among the groups.

World religions course offered

World Religions is a new course EHS introduced in 2022. The syllabus includes student visits to Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish and Orthodox worship sites across Houston. In October, students visited Congregation Beth Yeshurun as part of a unit on Judaism.