Exeter Social Service Organization

Non Sibi: Opportunity. Responsibility. Consistency. Accountability. Integrity.

ESSO’s mission is to encourage and enable social service opportunities for the Phillips Exeter Academy community. ESSO's responsibility to the outside world must be met with accountability and consistency. By creating direct service outreach ESSO builds a program of integrity and non sibi. In order to accomplish the goals within our mission, all participants must demonstrate the level of commitment necessary for each individual club or project under the ESSO umbrella.

ESSO aspires to increase opportunities for all students to serve the community and to emphasize accountability. There are over 60 ESSO clubs and projects to choose from, and finding the right ones for you will help to make your experience a fun and rewarding one.

 

Read about recent ESSO projects...

Off-Campus Clubs:
ESSO Outreach is supported by numerous community partners with whom PEA has an on-going relationship.

Adult Ed works with the state-run adult education program that operates out of the Exeter High School annex. Student volunteers meet at least once a week at the Exeter High School annex to personally tutor or assist instructors in teaching adults in the fields of computer science, math and ESL.

Best Buddies is an international organization that pairs people with intellectual disabilities with high school and college students to foster 1-to-1 friendships. Buddy pairs attend events together, such as holiday parties and bowling nights.

Big Sib Little Sib is a group which unites “big sibs” from PEA with adopted children in the Seacoast area and their siblings. Pairs participate in activities on Sunday afternoons, once a month.

Chain of Friends visits the Cooperative Middle School to help run a friendship group for kids with special needs and typical kids. In the past group activities have included ice skating, bowling and ice cream socials.

Cultural Outreach organizes trips into elementary schools around the Exeter community to help children learn about different cultures from students who have experienced them first-hand.

Elder Care goes to local senior citizen homes to visit, talk, and play games, including bingo, cards, and balloon volleyball, with the residents.

Equine Protection of North America (EPONA) volunteers travel to a barn located in Epping, NH to care for horses that are sheltered there. EPONA is a non-profit organization providing care, rehabilitation, and adoption for homeless, abused, and neglected horses.

Exeter Day School sends Exonians to this local preschool during lunch period and classes.

Exeter Scouting Outreach is a small group of boy and girl scouts who attend local scout meetings each week. Time spent attending counts as "staying active" (for rank). Service projects and advancement opportunities are possible through the local troops.

Food Pantry sends Exonians to stock shelves and fill grocery bags for needy families at St. Michael's House Food Pantry, a five-minute walk from the PEA campus.

Habitat for Humanity Plus works with local building sites when they opens up, and also works with local low-income building projects in the community.

Harold Ryan Society travels to nearby beaches and highways to pick up trash and recycling. 25 members needed, time commitment: 2 Sundays mornings a term.

Head Start is a federal program to educate pre-school children from low-income families. Members will visit the Newmarket Head Start center once a month to babysit the children while parents are in conferences with teachers.

Heartbreakers is a girls' group affiliated with Best Buddies which meets two Tuesdays a month to do art projects, take dance classes, sing karaoke, cook, and do other fun activities.

Hospice Training is an opportunity to get involved with a local hospice and be trained in hospice care.  After the 30-hour hospice training, students will visit Hospice patients in local nursing homes weekly.

Labels are for Jars/Battle Against Hunger members volunteer at a large soup kitchen in Lawrence, MA, and the NH Food Bank in Manchester, NH, as well as raising hunger awareness on campus.

Linking Generations through Computers tutors middle-aged and senior adults in the Exeter community on general computer knowledge, including how to operate a computer, keyboarding, and Microsoft word and excel. Advanced computer knowledge not required.

Literacy Program shows the children of the local WIC (Women Infants Children) program the excitement of reading through stories and crafts.

Middle School Mentors is a club focused on mentoring grade-school children at Cooperative Middle School. We will be playing games, giving homework help and getting to know the children.

Musical Outreach is a linking project between interested individuals and groups of musically talented students to perform in various locations in the community. Voice or instrumental individuals of groups are encouraged to share their gifts in the wider community.

Outdoor Aid organizes a variety of physical work days. 

PEA Childcare volunteers once a week to help out the teachers at the Harris Family Children's Center. They play with the children, supervise during mealtimes, or help out with an art project.

Pen Pals exchanges letters with children in the Exeter area between the ages of 4 and 8. The children come from the Montessori Pre-School and Lincoln Street, 4th grade. Meet your Pen Pal at the end of the term!

Seacoast Charter School  needs volunteers in the areas of  Spanish, science, reading and writing (a full year commitment), fitness, and music. If interested in the Charter School program, please also note which subject area you are most interested in as well.

SPCA goes to the animal shelter to care for dogs or help out around the barns.

Telling their Stories, Creative Writing Project works with elderly people at Riverwoods. You can interview them and write about the story of their lives as an oral history project. 

Therapeutic Riding goes to a stable to groom mini-ponies, help out with various chores around the barn, or assist children with intellectual disabilities in learning to ride horse on Saturdays. Horse experience not required.

 

On-Campus Clubs:
There are also a number of clubs that regularly meet or do volunteer work on Exeter's campus.

Children in Need raises awareness about children in need in the Seacoast and around the world. We will specifically work on The Exeter Chamber of Commerce Mitten Campaign and planning for the Homeless Vigil.

Exeter AIDS Response strives to raise awareness of the growing AIDS epidemic and to provide assistance to those affected in the Seacoast Area, We believe education is the key to prevention.

Exeter Emergency Relief responds to emergencies as needed.

Food from Love prepares and delivers home-cooked meals a few Sundays a month to families with a member affected by a life-threatening illness.

Girls Learn International works with two schools in Pakistan and Ghana to support girl’s education.

Hats for the Homeless knits hats and scarves for the homeless vigil in February. Members are encouraged to knit on their own time, as well as attending the meetings which are held twice a week. No knitting experience is necessary. There will be a knitting workshop at the first meeting and supplies will be given out. Faculty/staff and their children welcome.

Homeless Helpers/Cross Roads House make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to be delivered to Crossroads House or go to the shelter twice a month to serve a hot meal.

Infirmary Angels visit students who are sick overnight in the infirmary. They make breakfast for the patients, stock for the nurses at night, and make beds during the weekend.

Ping-Pong Club is an opportunity to coach and mentor to students from the Cooperative Middle School

Recycle a Bicycle reclaims bikes that have been abandoned around campus and restores them to be donated back to the community.

School Days International provides funding for a variety of school-based projects in developing countries. Programs exist in Ghana, Mexico, Haiti and India.

Project and Event Planners are needed to put up posters, plan and work at service events.

 

On Campus Clubs working with Faculty and Staff Children:

Kids Create Art Lessons does interactive art projects with local children in PEA's art building.

Little Lullabies is a group that meets every Thursday night form 6:30-7:00 in the Church basement to sing lullabies with preschool-aged children of PEA faculty and staff.

Music Lessons is an opportunity for skilled Academy student musicians to give private lessons once or twice a week to elementary and middle school.

Sports Outreach provides private individual or small group sports lessons to children and adult members of the PEA community. 

 

ESSO Projects and Events:
ESSO projects/events are one-time service opportunities that can be organized through an ESSO club or independent of one. 

Therapeutic Riding Stable, Medieval Fair: Medieval Fair fundraiser at the Carriage Barn, a therapeutic riding stable. Volunteers need not have any horse experience. Jugglers, fencers, or violinists requested! 

Camp Lincoln Project: Go to a local YMCA Camp Lincoln, to help paint the insides of newly refurbished cabins.  We will boat in the camp's kayaks and canoes.  Leave Exeter at 12:30 pm and return for pizza by 6:00 pm. This Project is sponsored by Outdoor Aid. 

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer:  A fundraising walk sponsored by Exeter Hospital.  Find your own sponsors for your walk.

NH Food Bank: Trips TBA.

American Independence Museum, Harvest Festival, Downtown Exeter. Needs volunteers.

Two raking projects for past Exeter Employees: Rake the lawns of former Exeter employees who are disabled or elderly.

Exeter River Reconnaissance Project: Take a three-hour kayak or canoe trip down the Exeter River this fall to map out possible contamination sites and areas blocked by downed trees.

Blood Drives: Blood drives are held in the Thompson Gym and churches. Must be 17 years old weigh at least 110 pounds.

 

Parents Weekend Features Hunger Relief Projects

1. Fast-a-thon for Ramadan: Sponsored by The Muslim Students.

2. Student and Faculty Art Auction for Hunger Relief: We are looking for art donations and help. Sponsored by the Art Club.

3. Empty Bowls: Ceramic students and members of the PEA community will donate handmade ceramic bowls for soup, which will be on sale. Proceeds go to Cross Roads House, a shelter in Portsmouth. Sponsored by Exeter Ceramics Classes.

4. CROP walk for Hunger: This walk takes place in Exeter during Parent’s Weekend. This is a perfect opportunity for you to walk with your family to raise money for Hunger relief in the world. Sponsored by The Christian Fellowship.

 

Individual or Small Group Opportunities / Adopt a Service Project
There are many ways to support the community on your own or through your club, class, advisee group or a group in the dorm. There are many opportunities to serve; you just need to know where to look. ESSO can provide help you link to various opportunities. Please let us know when you serve.

Volunteers for Main Street School: working with children in kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Exeter Public Library: helping to shelve books.

Peace Vigil: attend a non-violent Peace Vigil in front of Exeter Town Hall. 

Girls in Action: local girls' organization which creates service projects for the town of Exeter.

New Outlook Teen Center: Volunteer at Exeter's New Outlook Teen Center, which provides a fun after-school environment for local teens. Opportunities include: mentoring, homework help, outdoor trips, and cooking classes.

Camp Lincoln: Work on a project with Camp Lincoln to develop a "global" store. Small group needed.

Local Church Youth Groups: enjoy PEA student involvement.

Great Bay Environmental Center: needs volunteers. This is great for day students that drive.

Land Mines: Advocacy and education opportunity.

 

Community Service Office, Phelps Academy Center, Room 203, (603) 777-3584

Laurie Loosigian, Community Service Coordinator        Advisors: Rev. Robert Thompson, Don Foster

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