Devon Prep Students Learn Importance Of Giving Back On Service Trip To Philly

TREDYFFRIN, PA -- Devon Prep's junior class took a service learning trip to south Philadelphia recently, staying for two days at the Aquinas Center in South Philadelphia and others staying at St. Vincent de Paul Youth Center in Germantown.

The mandatory trip for class of 2018 members exposed students to "lives much different than their own."

Students learned about local communities and neighborhoods, worked with residents, and volunteered at several charitable organizations, including: the SHARE Food Program, Stapeley Assisted Living Facility, Mercy Adult Program, Dignity House, Habitat for Humanity, Broad Street Ministry, and Philabundance.

“They experienced the rewards of doing service that truly makes an impact on someone else's life. They were helping people with whom they had no prior relationship,” said event chaperone Mark Consolo. “They also participated in different activities where they had to use their own resources to complete. And they connected with their classmates in ways they would not have at home. In talking with them and getting their feedback I can tell that this experience was something special that will stay with them for years to come.”

Chief among those experiences, according to Consolo, was seeing firsthand the challenge many low-wage earning families face in feeding their family.

“This was a great experience to actually go out and see first-hand how much it takes to provide a healthy meal for a family when you're limited to such a difficult budget,” said junior Caelan Coyne, of West Chester. “This experience taught me a lot of things - mostly that you should never be unwilling to give back, and to be thankful for what you have. It puts an entirely new perspective on a lot of things that I took for granted before.”

Image courtesy Devon Prep.