“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve,” Martin Luther King Jr. once said. On MLK Day, to recognize the importance of serving others, some students from The Seven Hills School spend this national holiday on January 19th volunteering at the Freestore Foodbank and Matthew 25: Ministries. This day of service that our school participates in honors the acts that this impactful leader did to help people.

The Freestore Foodbank and Matthew 25: Ministries are both organizations that Seven Hills has worked with on days of service. The Foodbank works on making meals for those who do not have proper access to food. Matthew 25 mainly distributes items such as clothing, toiletries, and more. Volunteers focused on sorting, packaging, and preparing essential supplies to deliver to others who carry the burden of not having enough resources. When describing the organization and its work, middle school French teacher Jackie Kalubi said, “They help people who are in distress around the world or anywhere around the country.” By  helping out and sharing the responsibility of providing necessities to these people, the Seven Hills family also learned what it means to be a community.

As an important member of the EI council, Kalubi partnered with former middle school leader Bill Waskowitz to brainstorm what to do for the community on MLK Day. They worked hard to organize the events on this day so that students, faculty, and family members could help those in need. Achieving something by giving time, effort, and compassion not only reflects the values of the Seven Hills community as a whole, but also the goals that MLK Jr. worked towards.

Martin Luther King’s actions, commitment, and words changed the world into what it is today. The school believes dedicating this day to working for other people respects King’s vision and ideals. Our school chooses to work hard to give back to the community in order to show appreciation for the accomplishments and changes MLK made to our world. Kalubi said, “When a large group of people show up to do something, we can get a lot done in a short amount of time.” On this day, giving back to the community together strengthened the bond of the Seven Hills family.

During the day of service, volunteers grew through their experience of supporting people who needed help. Whether it was packaging supplies or making meals, everyone learned that taking time out of one’s day and putting others first can make a huge and tangible difference. Lending a hand to help someone in need also provided students, faculty, and family members with a new perspective. Freshman Emilie Dunoye, a student who attended the Day On, Not Off, said, “I learned that a lot of kids don’t have access to food, so I feel grateful that I can help them.” The students went in as volunteers for a school, but came back with more gratitude, empathy, and responsibility.

Overall, the day of service provided people with the opportunity to recognize MLK’s influence and reflect his empathy by helping the Cincinnati community.