Our second all-school Service Day of the school year was another rousing success!

This spring, St. Ambrose’s 218 students plus 48 parent and faculty chaperones visited a total of 23 sites! Service sites include a wide variety of activities and types of organizations. These service days bring our own community closer together, teach students the importance of service through the lens of our Faith, give opportunities for students to engage with communities outside of their own circles, and get real world experience with many transferable skills.

Continue reading for a selection of the sites and what our Guardians experienced – including feedback from parent volunteers about how fantastic our students are!

American Parkinson’s Disease Association

One group of Guardians visited a local chapter of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association where students made phone calls and wrote thank you notes to donors, crafted encouragement cards to patients, and produced promo videos for the Association. They gained real world experience in communications, etiquette, and media all for a great cause! Flexing the “muscle” of these kinds of transferrable skills is a perfect way for young men and women to gain confidence in their abilities as they apply them in careers, volunteer work, parish life, and their own families!

Catholic Multicultural Center

Another group went to another longtime Service Day partner site, the Catholic Multicultural Center, to do some spring cleaning. Parent volunteer Sally shared, “As a parent, it was a great experience watching the students eagerly jump in to help out with the projects assigned to our team.” She continued, “Everyone worked hard, even outside in the cold, wet weather picking up trash around the building. It was a fulfilling experience knowing we contributed to a need for the center, cleaning the dining room and kitchen where they serve meals to those in need. I was very proud of this group!”

Forward Gardens

Forward Gardens is a 12-acre garden that serves as a hub for the Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens organization and grows unique foods for local pantries and meal programs. The work of planning, planting, harvesting, garden maintenance, and delivery of produce is primarily done by volunteers. And they put this group of St. Ambrose Guardians to good use!

Parent volunteer Jesse shared that, “The boys helped prepare flats for spring planting, repaired some equipment, removed popcorn from the cob, and moved LOTS of table tops for the future green house.”

Catholic Charities Day Center

At the Day Center, a group of students participated in the regular daily programming available including sports like bowling, games, and providing manicures.

Parent chaperone Rachel had some beautiful feedback about her experience and what she saw in the Guardians she chaperoned. She shared that she “was very impressed with all the students. I was delighted at how welcoming they are to each other, even students in much younger grades. That’s not something always seen in other schools and it’s always a delight to see how SAA students treat each other with camaraderie and respect. I also enjoyed seeing how in down times (travel, meal) they made an effort to learn more about each other and ensure everyone was included in the conversation.”

Rachel continued, “When interacting with the clients, none of the students showed any inhibitions about taking part and engaging. They would enthusiastically cheer for the clients during games and several students said they enjoyed learning client’s names and recognizing wonderful interactions in the people they were meeting. God truly showed us His children with different abilities, so we could see past the surface, and get to know these people on a deeper level. It was a wonderful experience.”

What a blessed time this was! We’re so proud of our students for the love they show to one another and to those they meet out in the world. As they advance each year at St. Ambrose, Guardians are continuing to grow in character and virtue, learning how to live authentic, joy-filled lives that are rooted in Christ out in the world.

Babies & Beyond and Praying at Planned Parenthood

What is it like spending a day with St. Ambrose students on a Service Day? Here’s what one parent volunteer shared, about one group’s trip to pray at Planned Parenthood and volunteer at Babies & Beyond:

“I always enjoy spending the day with the St. Ambrose kids. They work hard, but they have fun. We got a lot accomplished at the Babies & Beyond Sharing Center, from organizing clothes, vacuuming, recycling, cardboard, and organizing toys.”

She continued, “One student reflected on what it was like to pray a rosary publicly outside Planned Parenthood, that was a really new experience for him, and it sounded like he was proud of that, and another student reflected on all of the amazing ways that Babies & Beyond helps the community and that really stood out for him!”

A Selection of Other Service Day Sites

Thank you to all of our parent and faculty volunteers and our students for showing Christ’s love to so many this Service Day. And thank you to all the partner sites for welcoming our students and allowing us to be a part of the important work you do throughout the greater Madison/Dane County area.

We welcome invitations for a group of students and chaperones to come to serve organization. If you have a suggestion for a future Service Day site/project, please email info@ambroseacademy.org!