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GCDS Center for Public Good
GCDS Center for Public Good
The GCDS Center for Public Good mission is to nourish our innate desire to make the world a better place, learn about society and its needs, and be inspired to take action. Students have transformative experiences when opting into activities that intersect with their passions and skillset. In order to accomplish this, each student reflects on their interests & skills, local & global issues that speak to them, and their schedule in order to construct an individualized service plan (ISP). Specific ISPs have inspired a sports program for our neighbors with special needs, a personal librarian program to promote local literacy, and a Chair-Yoga Zoom class for homebound seniors during the pandemic. The Center for Public Good develops a wide range of programming, activities, events, and clubs that cater to the broad vision for community engagement that comes from students. In addition to the experiences students create and opt into, service is embedded into our academic, athletic, and arts programs. The GCDS Upper School has a service expectation rather than a service requirement; it is our belief that this approach leads to a lifelong commitment to service.
Visit The Center for Public Good (CPG) on Instagram!
Questions about the Upper School's Service Program?
Austin Lehn, Upper School Service Coordinator
Email: austin.lehn@gcds.net
The CPG Fellows Program
The CPG Fellows Program
Students who have demonstrated exceptional generosity of spirit and vision for being a force for good by engaging in and/or creating service programs are candidates for the highly selective CPG Fellows program. Fellows are empowered to become community leaders by organizing existing programs and brainstorming new ways to leverage our resources for positive change. They work closely with the Upper School Service Coordinator, as well as with the Director of the CPG, as leaders within school-wide service initiatives.
GCDS Service Grants
GCDS Service Grants
Center for Public Good operates a competitive, endowed grants program to promote and support service at the heart of the student and faculty experience.
President George H.W. Bush, GCDS '37, Public Service Grant
President George H.W. Bush, GCDS '37, Public Service Grant
Guiding Legacy: A lifetime of public service promoting peace, citizenship, service, and patriotism.
Purpose: To support work in government, health and human services, disaster relief, and humanitarian aid.
Applicants: GCDS students Grades 6 - 12, Alumni in higher education
John Bates Environmental Stewardship Grant
John Bates Environmental Stewardship Grant
Guiding Legacy: A deep, abiding, and joyful regard for our planet, guiding a lifetime of dedication to preserving the wonders of nature.
Purpose: To support work in conservation efforts, environmental immersion experiences, research projects, and advocacy work.
Applicants: GCDS students Grades 6 - 12, Alumni in higher education, Faculty and Staff
Jack Jepson Cultural Connections Grant
Jack Jepson Cultural Connections Grant
Guiding Legacy: The energetic, authentic, informed, and personal pursuit of understanding and engagement in other cultures.
Purpose: To support student work and learning of cultures through immersion and exchange experiences. Recipients will document/share their experiences with GCDS peers.
Applicants: GCDS students Grades 6 - 12
Pat Young Heart of Stanwich Grant
Pat Young Heart of Stanwich Grant
Guiding Legacy: A deeply held commitment to enabling teachers to share in the joy of service.
Purpose: To support work in health and human services, disaster relief, and humanitarian aid.
Applicants: GCDS Faculty and Staff
Service in the Upper School
Service in the Upper School
Current Upper School Service Initiatives:
Service in Sports Program. Examples include athletics teams running our Abilis Sports Program, soccer teams packing meals with Filling in the Blanks, and the Crew team preparing the Midnight Run delivery for regional communities.
Cooking for Kids in Crisis. Through their Seminar class, our Upper School students have worked with our fantastic dining staff to cook meals for local teens in crisis.
N2N Satellite Food Pantry is a food pantry supported by GCDS families to ease the burden with our local partner during the pandemic.
Mentoring younger students. Throughout the year, GCDS Upper School students have various opportunities to work with younger peers. This can include partnering with local children of immigrants through Building One Community to offer regular academic and social support, developing the Science Experiment of the Week club for the Boys and Girls Club, or working with younger GCDS students in various ways to fight local hunger, spread joy, or fill community needs.
CONNECTT Virtual Programming for homebound seniors. Our Upper School students develop and run virtual social events, yoga classes, and reading groups for seniors in our community who have been homebound during COVID.
Abilis Arts and Crafts offers a creative outlet for our differently-abled friends. Upper School students design and run these community programs.
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