Rabun Gap students and faculty serve in Atlanta
Thirteen Upper School students and two faculty members spent Jan. 19-20 giving back through various Atlanta organizations.
Rabun Gap students and faculty spent a weekend in Atlanta immersed in service learning.
Thirteen Upper School students, accompanied by Mme. Anne Shook and Mr. Chandler Brooks, were graciously hosted by All Saints’ Episcopal Church and spent January 19-20 giving back through various Atlanta-based organizations.
The group started their trip in Roswell, where they partnered with InCommunity to help their individuals with disabilities enjoy a morning of bowling. InCommunity works to enrich and sustain the lives of individuals who have developmental disabilities, their families, and their communities.
In anticipation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 21, students also visited the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown on Saturday.
On Sunday, the group attended the worship service at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Atlanta before departing to learn more about the work of Church of the Common Ground.
“The sermon and the music were wonderful. We were fortunate to listen to the Singing Sisters from Ebenezer Baptist Church,” Shook said.
Rabun Gap’s group partnered with Church of the Common Ground for their service on Sunday. Students prepared meals for the homeless and spent the afternoon in Woodruff Park distributing lunch. A worshiping community of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, Church of the Common Ground is a “church without walls” on the streets of Atlanta, providing support for the pastoral and spiritual needs of women, men and youth who live on the margins of the city.
Senior Will Adair of Cashiers, NC, helped organize the trip as a part of his role as president of the on-campus Community Service Club. He said the serving the homeless on this trip had a major impact.
“It was very eye-opening to see how privileged we are and how they go through struggles every day. We think something that is so small can impact our lives and they deal with that on a daily basis,” Adair said. “I think it’s very important for Rabun Gap students to help out the community and be a part of something bigger than Rabun Gap. It gives us opportunities to do something helpful for the world and ourselves .”
Other students who took part in the trip were Adora Adeyemi '20 of Sandy Springs, GA, Dorothy Akpovwa '19 of Abuja, Nigeria, Nati Darnell ‘20 of Clayton, GA, Edie Hall ‘22 of Long Creek, SC, Olivia Lombard ‘22 of Toccoa, GA, Rylee Munoz ‘20 of Rabun Gap, GA, Anne Pham ‘22 of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Gbemi Shonibare ‘20 of Lawrenceville, GA, Alecia Taylor ‘20 of Decatur, GA, Max Vogelbacher ‘22 of Rabun Gap, GA, Isaiah Whitsett ‘20 of Atlanta, GA, and Rosine Yin ‘22 of Beijing, China.
The trip allowed for connection with two Atlanta-area alumni as well — Darcy Farrington-Ryan ‘05 and Simuruna Habyalimana ‘17.
“The trip went very well, and the students all did great,” Shook said. “This was a humbling experience for all of us. We’re thankful for the opportunity these organizations gave us to serve the community in Atlanta.”
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
.png){kind=logo}
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private, coeducational day and boarding school for grades Pre-K through 12. Centrally located between Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC, we prepare young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service.
