The seventh grade participated in their third service learning activity for the year, focusing on a wide variety of issues important to San Francisco.
One advisory group spent the day learning about the organizations that serve the people of the SOMA community. Rudy Corpuz, CACS parent and executive director at United Playaz, took students on a tour of the neighborhood. They visited the Hub (a small police station), the Bayanihan (a community center that works with elders), Crossroads (a youth center), and an elementary school, then went to Westbay to learn about pedestrian safety. At each location, students had the opportunity to tour the buildings, speak with employees, and experience some of the fun activities they offer there. Their last stop was the United Playaz Center, where they learned about violence prevention, youth empowerment, and social justice. Students had to think critically about the problems, solutions, and ideas that support a community’s growth.
A second advisory group focused on Golden Gate Park. Students met with Andy Stone, head gardener at the boat house, who lead a nature walk introducing them to several species of plants. They touched, smelt and even ate some of the agriculture. Students spent the rest of the day pulling invasive plants and planting banana trees, working hard to improve our community park.
A third advisory group volunteered at the downtown YMCA, where they learned about community resources and helped the neighborhood by picking up trash in the street. They also spent time learning about the effects of plastics on the marine ecosystem, then went to Ocean Beach and cleaned up trash. Students collected over 1,000 pieces of trash and talked about human’s effects on ecosystems and our responsibilities to the world.
Overall, students spent an amazing day examining a wide variety of ways to support our San Francisco community, and they left our city just a little bit cleaner and greener in the process.