Guided by Buckingham Friends School’s mission and commitment to community and service, students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades recently came together for the School’s annual Upper School Day, a longstanding tradition that connects classroom learning with real-world action. This year, students partnered with Carversville Farm Foundation to deepen their understanding of hunger and food access while taking meaningful action to support those in need.
At the farm, students learned about the organization’s mission to grow organic food, which they donate 100% to at-risk populations and neighbors facing food insecurity. Students also rolled up their sleeves and participated in a vegetable harvest.
“It was very educational. We learned a lot about how other people live and how we shouldn’t take what we have for granted, like having fresh food and water, because not everyone has that,” said Basie, a seventh grader.
Classmate Oak added: “It was important to the community because there are a lot of people who don’t have the same privileges as many of us have. To help them felt really good.”
The day was structured to nurture community both inside and outside the school. Students spent the morning serving the public at Carversville Farm Foundation, then returned to campus for team-building activities to strengthen relationships at BFS. This balance reinforced their roles as caretakers of both their school and the wider world.
“Back at BFS after helping others, everyone had really good spirit. It was a really good way to start the year, coming together,” noted Teagan, a sixth grader.
Upper School Day brings students together across grade levels to strengthen community and put stewardship into action. Through meaningful service opportunities, students can contribute to their community, learn from one another, and see firsthand how small acts of service can make a difference. As a Friends school that honors the Light within each individual, Buckingham Friends School continues to build upon its legacy of stewardship through its service-learning model, its signature Joint Environmental Mission (JEM) global interscholastic program, and strategic partnerships in the local community and around the world.