Public Service Day 2017

February 23, 2017

Sophomores Rivers Sheehan and Lulu Blau work on weeding the grounds at the Environmental Defense Center in Santa Barbara, CA as their advisory contribution to Public Service Day. (©Ashleigh Mower for Cate School)

Cate students and teachers spent Wednesday, February 22 volunteering as part of Cate’s annual Public Service Day. The 335 volunteers took Cate’s motto Servons (“let us serve”) to heart, visiting 39 organizations and logging over 1000 volunteer hours.

Each year advisory groups drive en masse into the community to lend a hand to nonprofits for the day. This year the groups visited the Foodbank of Santa Barbara, the Environmental Defense Center, and Monroe Elementary School among many other organizations from Oxnard to Goleta.

Susannah Gordon from Casa Del Herrero wrote, “Your crew did a wonderful job working in the Arizona garden, pulling together as a team, and exuding that warmth and appreciation that we are coming to recognize as a Cate School hallmark!” The teachers at the Family School in Carpinteria said, “Your students were enthusiastic, courteous, and awesome role models in our academic environment as well as out on the playground. We sure appreciate their service in our little community.”

Although they made an impact on the community, the day represents only a small fraction of the work and time students commit volunteering and serving others. Service takes many forms at Cate, from student organizations to weekly volunteer options to full-fledged summer service projects.

“I am really proud of all that we were able to accomplish as we engaged with the community, served others, and made a big difference,” said Director of Public Service Will Homes. “The contacts that I have made at a number of the organizations are truly happy when I contact them each year to plan Public Service Day. This event certainly strengthens our relationship with the local community.”