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Freedom School

We are excited to begin our search for volunteers for the upcoming summer CDF Freedom Schools at St. Luke's UMC! This impactful program is designed to empower and inspire youth through a fun, literacy-rich program with a large social action component, and we need your help to make it a success. Volunteers are essential to this program, and we encourage anyone who is interested to attend one of our upcoming informational sessions. Join us at our table outside of Robertson Chapel on Sunday, February 16th and March 13th to learn more about the program and how you can get involved.

In addition to the initial sessions, we will be hosting two volunteer call-out/informational presentations in April. The first will take place on Tuesday, April 22nd, and the second on Sunday, April 27th. These sessions will provide further details about the program’s needs, volunteer roles, and how you can make a difference in the lives of the children participating in the Freedom Schools. Whether you are a returning volunteer or a first-timer, we invite you to explore how you can contribute to this amazing initiative. We look forward to seeing you there and working together to make this summer one to remember! Please contact Peggy Decker peggydecker21@gmail.com with any questions!

Click here to register for a volunteer call-out meeting!

Submitted by Seema Mernitz

Celebrating the First Annual Luke’s Leaders Leadership Summit

On Saturday, January 18, Luke's Leaders held its first annual Leadership Summit. This was an opportunity to gather students from all five of our weekly groups. Fifty students attended with roughly equal representation from each of MSDWT Middle Schools. We had about 50% 6th grade students, 25% 7th and 25% 8th grades.

After being reminded of the timeless leadership qualities of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we quickly moved to our first Speaker, Romain Benjamin. Check out Romain's music @thenameromain. After performing two raps, Mr. Benjamin gave a talk where he shared his perspectives on leadership. His main points were: (1) Live on Purpose: Find your why! Make it BIG, (2) Network: You are who you hang out with, (3) Mind your Business: Continuous Self-Improvement, (4) Love and Respect: People remember how you made them feel more than what was said or done.

Our second speaker was Paula Glover from the Center for Leadership Development. Ms. Glover presented on "Know Your Brand." Her main points were (1) A brand is not just a logo or name. It's what people think and say about you when you're not around. (2) Key Elements of a Brand: include your Values: Actions, Appearance/First Impressions. Ms. Glover made this presentation very interactive as students engaged as she gave many examples of brands.

Our students learned how leaders can be effective in addressing vital community needs. They participated in three service projects: packing laundry kits for Dove Recovery House, packing meal kits for Fletcher Place, and bundling diapers for the diaper pantry.

Finally, as we wrapped up, we had one "reporter" from each table come to the podium and share two things learned by those at their table. Here is the summary of their report:

• My friends are a reflection of me!
• A brand is based on values, actions, and how you treat others.
• It’s important to cherish your family and friends!
• A brand is not just a logo, it's what people say about me when I'm not around.
• You reflect on the people you hang out with, and can help them by supporting them.
• Lead by example and learn your core values.

Click here to read an article about the event written by North Central Student Journalism.

Submitted by Carol Loggins