DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY OF SERVICE: BUILDING CONNECTION THROUGH SERVICE

from Trojan Voice Magazine, Spring 2023

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

Dr. Trevon Jones, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Community

From the beginning of our School’s history, developing Trinity Valley School students to be intelligent citizens has been at the heart of our mission. This commitment informs the way we engage with each other and the way we engage with the local community.

In service of our mission, we decided to approach Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in a new way this year. Nationally, the MLK Holiday is known as a Day of Service – an opportunity to make a positive impact on the community. TVS has regularly provided opportunities for service on the MLK holiday, but this year we devoted a few hours of a school day for the TVS community to come together in service to lay the foundation for ongoing partnership with other schools in our city. The day allowed us an opportunity to lean into our Equity, Inclusion, and Community statement with our students in a way that connected us to the larger Fort Worth community while strengthening our bonds as a school.

**Dr. Jones, Justin White, Jillian Ivy, and staff from Sunrise McMillan.**

On the morning of Friday, January 13, the entire campus engaged in a Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy. The morning began with students from our Black Student Union sharing poetry. Maxwell Hunter, a sixthgrade student, shared the quote that also served as the theme for the day:

If life is to be complete, it must include not only the dimension of length but also of breadth by which the individual concerns himself in the welfare of others... — Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

After grounding us in our purpose for engaging in service, seventh- through 12th-grade students were paired with Kindergarten through sixth-grade students as “buddies” for the day to begin engaging in service throughout campus. Our service project focused on supporting other students by decorating ceiling tiles for four Fort Worth Independent School District elementary schools: Sunrise McMillan, Walton, C. C. Moss, and A. M. Pate. The students created some beautiful designs filled with motivational quotes. The students were even able to include the school logos on the ceiling tiles thanks to the stencils created by students in Dr. Taylor’s Digital Fabrication class. During the project, one younger buddy was overheard saying, “Remember, when they see this tile we want them to feel happy.” As photos from the event show, the students were successful in this endeavor! Our students decorated about 125 ceiling tiles that day!

As the students worked on their ceiling tiles, Mr. Rian Townsend, Executive Director in Fort Worth ISD, toured the campus while buddies were engaged in service. He was impressed by the work that students were doing and our commitment to intelligent citizenship that made the morning possible. He expressed his gratitude and texted the school principals often to show them the caliber of work our students were doing all across campus. He left excited about developing a relationship that could benefit the entire city.

The morning ended with students having lunch with their buddies. As they enjoyed their meal, they asked each other fun questions designed by the Middle School Impact Committee. After lunch, students were able to engage in brain breaks with their buddies before heading back to their classes.

In the weeks following the project, we delivered the ceiling tiles to the elementary school campuses. Student leaders in the Upper School were invited to be a part of the delivery process and thank the schools for allowing us the opportunity to decorate ceiling tiles for them. It was uplifting to see our students connect with principals, teachers, and students that were grateful to receive a gift that would have a positive impact on their school communities.

As Trinity Valley School continues to think about service through the lens of our School mission, we are developing a future that builds on existing partnerships to deepen experiences for students and forges new partnerships with the intent of lifting all areas of the city. Whether in Xplore; the Upper School Community Service Program; Trojan Outdoor Experience; Skills for Tomorrow; or Equity, Inclusion, and Community, we are creating pathways focused on building partnerships that edify mutual respect and honor our shared interest in the well-being of the entire community. Our Day of Service was the beginning of a partnership with four school communities. We look forward to continuing to build connections and working together as a team for the entire community. Stay tuned for more!