Little represents the spirit of Jesuit students more than our dedication to community service. From holding the fridge door for an impoverished shopper at community pantries to the sun soaked backs of our seniors at Bonton Farms, Jesuit’s commitment to social relief is almost always apparent to those we aid. Jesuit’s Class of 2023 commenced their first day of senior service today. Here’s what they had to say about it:
“Service has been a great experience so far, working together with my friends and serving the community is quite enjoyable.” – Kevin Babu, Managing Editor of The Roundup
“Senior service has been an amazing experience. It’s quite touching to be able to hear what the food pantry I serve at is trying to accomplish. Serving others at the pantry helps me understand what true charity is and what love for your own neighbor really means. I absolutely love it!” – Tejas Murugesh
“Service this year is great. We finally get to interact with people face to face after two years of COVID protocols. This last Wednesday I was able to converse on a deeper level with the people I was serving, learning their stories and some of their wisdom. I’m really excited to see how things will go from here on out” – Jon Noquil, Senior Ambassador at the Ignatian Service Corps.
“As students from Jesuit, we work with elementary school students on an individual basis or in small groups and essentially act as a peer mentor or tutor for them as they undergo a critical time in their life for major developmental and cognitive changes, such as learning to read. I am honored to be a part of this program and I thank Jesuit for offering it. In addition to learning and discussing social justice issues in SJPP and Justice classes, I get to actually be on the ground and make a difference firsthand – it illustrates the importance of our work as well as the potential long-term impact we can make on some of the newer members of society.” – Elliott Huang
Words such as ‘transformative’, ‘fulfilling’, and ‘excited’ buzzed among the seniors as they finished their first Wednesday at their designated sites. At the core of service, interpersonal interactions with those in need not only brings joy and gratitude to those we serve, but also fills our hearts with a sense of fulfillment in our work. Throughout what would be a year of closure for many high school seniors, the Jesuit Class of 2023 will knock open doors as they discover the enriching yet enlightening experience in service.