Under the hot sun, students flit from table to table on the quad. Each booth is decorated with colorful posters, fliers, and of course, candy. The 2024 Service Fair, held this year on September 11th was an opportunity for eager students to showcase their projects to classmates.
This scene on the quad is built upon years and years of development of the service program at Bishop’s. From the victory gardens planted during World War I to the current Period Poverty Project, the School has a long history of fostering a culture of community engagement.
“When you do something for someone else without intending to receive some form of compensation such as a reward or money,” Mrs. Gomez, who is the Director of Service and Social Innovation, said as she defines service. She continued, “It should benefit someone other than yourself, and should be done because you would like to help rather than because you need to fulfill a requirement.” Since its founding in 1909, The Bishop’s School has encouraged its students to be active participants in their community.
One notable service act of the past was the planting of potato gardens, also known as victory gardens, that were grown on the quad at Bishop’s in the midst of World War I. Due to battles depleting land and few people cultivating crops, Europe was beginning to run out of food; American citizens were then encouraged to grow small gardens in backyards, or in this case, schoolyards, full of food to be shipped to Europe. Moreover, The School raised money for military vehicles during the war and began teaching a class called “Surgical Dressings” to students, which taught them how to properly dress wounds and other essential first aid knowledge.
Another instance of remarkable involvement was student action in the Progressive Era, a time of social reform for women’s rights. From sponsoring Girl Scout troops to fundraising for women’s clubs, Bishop’s students were quick to participate in community initiatives.
Mrs. Catherine Beamer, who is a part of the Bishop’s Mathematics Department and also an alumna from the Class of 1995, shared that, though more service hours were required when she was a student, on-campus opportunities presented themselves in different ways. “I was a senior aide, and I would help proctor study halls – make copies, filing, tasks like that,” she recalled.
Similar to the Head Ambassador program today, students could also earn service hours by being a tour guide for prospective students. Mrs. Beamer viewed this as one of her favorite methods to gain service hours, and said, “I loved helping out with welcoming new families to the school.”
According to Mrs. Beamer, one of the differences between service in the past versus the program now is technology. She explained, “Everything was pre-Internet. So in order to get people involved, it was all word-of-mouth.”
Today, there are a variety of clubs that use technology to address issues in their community, such as Project ARISE, led by Sophie Zeng (‘26) and Grace Yao (‘26). “We programmed our own AI model into a mobile app that anyone can use to identify and remove invasive species,” Sophie says. “Our mission is to use today’s technology to protect today’s environment.” As our society changes, so do service initiatives, adapting to fit what is currently relevant and effective.
Active students such as Gabby Anderson (‘25), one of the leaders of the Period Poverty Project, also continue the tradition of service. On the club’s mission, she says, “It’s a two-part kind of thing. Part of it is the hands-on service of providing these period products for people in need. The other part of it is the educational aspect, and that’s more about educating people on the impact of their service and how they can help.”
To cultivate this learning, Period Poverty Project regularly hosts packing parties on campus for both upper and middle school students. “The hope is to end the stigma surrounding menstrual products, that if more people are talking about it, then it can be addressed,” Gabby added.
Gabby was also a recipient of the Quarterly Super Service Award last year, and is also a member of another on-campus organization: Lucky Ducklings. With so much to balance, she notes the importance of planning and being organized. With Period Poverty Project, she and her co-leader Alex Pfister (‘25) have created a routine including sending out emails, planning meetings, and scheduling packing parties.
In the end, the result of her service is a satisfying reward. “I think, for me, building these communities, the goal in the end is to be able to have an impact,” Gabby says. “You want to see that there’s growth and development, that you’re not doing the same thing.”
As the School continues to evolve, the commitment to service remains a cornerstone of its mission. Mrs. Gomez says, “Service is an established tradition and integral part of The Bishop’s School. Our program empowers students to identify their unique gifts, interests and passions, and discern how they can seek to love and serve our neighbors as ourselves.”
