In early March of this year, both the Juniors and Seniors held a Day of Service, during which students spent their school day volunteering for various organizations. Although this event had not occurred for the past few school years due to COVID-19, Days of Service before lockdown aimed to encourage students to reach out and take proactive roles in the local community. Not only do the Days of Service help strengthen various communities in need, but as Junior Class Dean Seraphine Hamilton also mentioned, “…another added benefit of the Day of Service was a bonding experience for the grade … and it seems productive to build community and bonds as a class while also helping build connections within Mercer County.” 

On both the Juniors’ and Seniors’ days of service, students visited a plethora of nonprofits and organizations working to make a positive difference in their local communities. Some of these locations included Arm in Arm, a non-profit organization which aims to address food insecurity and housing issues in Trenton and Princeton; Mercer Street Friends, a food bank located in Mercer County that collects donated food to distribute to those who need it; and Children’s Home Society of New Jersey, which provides infants and children with a safe environment and takes care of them. Senior Milan Patel voiced his enthusiasm towards the Day of Service, stating, “It was a lot of fun to be around classmates I don’t see that often due to busy schedules, and work together to help those without the same access to resources.” 

Junior Matthew Whittaker supported Patel’s point, as he had a similar experience on his Day of Service. Whittaker mentioned, “I learned how simple it was to help the community, and felt the experience put into perspective how good it feels to help others.” With the high engagement and enthusiasm among PDS students, hopefully, this event can continue in future school years, providing students with more opportunities to directly help those in need.