Community Action Day

April 22, 2009

The self-proclaimed "Ivy League" removed overgrown ivy from dorms on campus

Today, more than 1,000 Exonians – the entire student body and faculty, along with other PEA volunteers – traveled to area woods, schools, playgrounds, farms, churches, beaches, hospices, and housing developments. They volunteered their time on more than 70 community-based projects. Activities included: clearing of leaves and debris left over from this winter's damaging ice storms, working with children in local schools and day care facilities, and assisting churches and libraries with building maintenance.

Community Action Day is a collaboration between Exeter Social Service Organization (ESSO), the school's sustainability program and the office of student activities. The focus is on community involvement and choice. Many of the projects promote the principles of Earth Day, which is today.

At yesterday's Assembly, the ESSO board presented a short video highlighting the essence of the program. Included in the video were testimonials from local partners. "Exeter students have great personalities," said an administrator from Main Street School, located adjacent to PEA's campus. "It's nice to see how they interact with the kids." "Exeter students bring youth and vitality to the senior center," added Ms. Waterman from a local senior center. "It's a very positive experience for both the students and the seniors." Michael Favreau, from Exeter's Parks and Recreation department, put it this way: "You do about 2 weeks of work for us in 1 day!" 

Here, students head off from campus toward the town of Exeter, armed with rakes, hats and smiles. Today's temperatures were a boon, with the high expected to reach into the 60s.

One creative Exonian group entertained kindergartners and pre-schoolers at the Harris Family Children's Center. The kindergartners loved the magic tricks, unicycling and step dance instruction (shown at right).

At left, an Exonian works with a kindergartner on a magic trick.

Here, students rake debris at a local housing authority site.

These students are setting up a raised planting bed at the Harris Family Children's Center.

Yesterday, in celebration of Earth Day, Exonians collaboratively built a sculpture with local artist Tim Gaudreau. The sculpture, entirely composed of used water bottles collected on campus, was intended to illustrate the need to reduce consumption of one-use disposable plastic. "Gaudreau and students hope that the art installation, along with the education information about bottled water and other beverages, will get people to stop and think about their own consumption habits," says Jennifer Wilhelm, Exeter's sustainability coordinator.

Students bestowed on Principal Ty Tingley an honorary ESSO T-shirt at yesterday's assembly. They thanked him for his support of ESSO. Tingley told students at assembly that "some of the greatest satisfaction" can come when you match your interests against socially responsible activities such as those supported by Exeter's ESSO program.

ESSO is composed of 70 student clubs focusing on local outreach and global initiatives. ESSO's popularity – 700 students are actively involved – has engendered the term, "ESSOnians." ESSO works with 120 community partners in the local Exeter area on an ongoing basis. 

Preparation for today's activities was "a huge and heroic task," said Tingley. Faculty and students worked together for months, brainstorming ideas and contacting potential community partners.

Interested in learning more?

Read about recent ESSO projects...

Learn more about Exeter's sustainability program…

Check out Exeter's student activities…