Community of Caring at Skyline

Skyline High School’s Community of Caring is a service oriented, student-based organization. The  program provides opportunities for service to increase the betterment and moral of our school. This year there has been a focus of working on projects revolving around mental health.

The class is run by Angela Folsom and Kathy Peterson. The purpose of the class is to teach service and caring. Using mixed media, they show the importance of service and present many inspiring stories. Emily Roberts, the boards co-director, stated, “I think the purpose of the Community of Caring class is to further tie us to the community around each of us through acts of service.”

The 2019 theme comes from a famous orator in the 19th century, Robert Ingersoll. Ingesoll stated “We Rise by Lifting Others.” The theme is an annual tradition but there is an importance to it. Community of Caring is using the theme as an objective of focus for the year 2019.

Community of Caring is an important tool to help out the Salt Lake City society, and the culture of our school. Izzy Wall, one of the board members, expressed, “I love the opportunities it gives me to serve my community as well as my school and the students.”

Most of the service opportunities offered are community based. Some of the sites visited are: Food Bank, Road Home, Head Start-Preschool, St. Vincents, and the Abbington. Students spend an hour or more packing food boxes, tutoring kids, serving the homeless or other things. 

Tessa Frey, a student from two years ago, still remembers the impact one service site had on her: “I loved going to the Headstart preschools! I think that it helped me understand the situations other families are in and how the schools help them and their kids. It really made me appreciate the resources we have in our community to help lower income families and give these kids education.”

Here at school, service is implemented in many ways. Every home football game, students choose to stay to help the janitors by cleaning up all the trash in the stadiums. 

Along with the class, they have a club for anyone and everyone. Students in the club are invited to join in at the service sites. The opportunities are student run and designed by Kendall Barlow.  

Community of Caring’s hopes for the school are like Eagles RISE, though they don’t purposefully work together. The board this year actually chose the theme with Eagles RISE in mind. 

The purpose of Community of Caring is to help the attitude around Skyline High. Kathy Peterson, one of the teachers, said, “I love the way that Community of Caring builds bridges across all of the social groups at Skyline. When we work together on our 400 Sandwich Project our room is packed with Eagles who are united in their effort to help others. These students become friends by working with one another to help people find support and relief.”

Community of Caring is a perfect resource for school and community betterment. Visit room 112 for more information and service opportunities.