ATLANTA—Our Lady of the Assumption School students completed a “Big Day of Service” on Sept. 25, as all students participated, working with more than 20 organizations around Atlanta.

Sharon Black, development director at the school, reported that in advance of the big day, students collected quarters for Stop Hunger Now, toiletries for Mercy Care, bottled water for Centro Hispano and money for St. Jude’s Hospital with a math-a-thon.

All classes started Sept. 25 with Mass at 8:30, and then each grade dispersed to age-appropriate service projects. Students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade remained on campus, working on projects as various as making Christmas ornaments for troops, decorating brown lunch bags for the Hearty Meals program, making crafts for Ashton Woods residents, creating cards for Veterans Day, making door decorations for Saint Joseph’s Hospital rooms, writing prayer cards for prison inmates, making snack bags for Cure Childhood Cancer, making fleece winter scarves for the homeless, and more. Fifth- and sixth-grade students packaged about 10,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The students worked from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students moved off campus to various locations, where they worked at the community food gardens for the food bank, worked with children with disabilities at the Elaine Clark Center, cleaned up Keswick Park, packed medical supplies for MedShare, made meals for Senior Connections, sorted clothing for St. Vincent de Paul, worked on craft projects with seniors at Merrill Gardens Senior Living, and helped with the Life South blood drive.

OLA principal Lisa Cordell said, “It is exciting to see students actively engaged in helping others in our greater community.”

Bennie Smith, vice principal, noted that service is part of the school’s foundation because of the Sisters of Mercy, who staffed the school in its beginning. She said,

“These nuns are unique because they take a fourth vow of service. This vow of service is at the core of our school. The Day of Service makes us aware of our heritage.”

Cordell added, “Our goal is to plant the seed of serving others in our students. We strive to make these little ones aware of the needs of those less fortunate than themselves, follow Jesus’ example and help. One is never too young to make a difference!”