Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is at the very center of the Riverside Way.
Serving at RPDS
Our classroom curricula incorporate serving as a core value beginning with Pre-Kindergarten.
Project Leads
Project LEADS is our 6th grade servant leadership program designed to build in our students a desire to serve and a belief that anyone can serve. Over two and half days in October our students are given a chance during the school day to serve at 3-4 community organizations. These organizations include the Sulzbacher Center, UCOM, the Sanctuary on 8th Street, MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, City Rescue Mission, Family Promise, Angelwood, The Well Church of Jacksonville. To continue this service and to continue to grow that desire in our students there are optional service opportunities from January to May to return to many of these same organizations after school and again serve them.
DESC Fall Food Drive
RPDS students serve the underprivileged in Jacksonville with an annual fall food drive for the Downtown Ecumenical Services Council. Hundreds of pounds of food are delivered by our sixth graders.
Caring Tree
At Christmas we provide gifts for refugee families through Lutheran Social Services. In an outpouring of generosity and love our students give these families a Christmas they will never forget.
Sandwiches for Sulzbacher
RPDS students serve the underprivileged in Jacksonville with an annual fall food drive for the Downtown Ecumenical Services Council. Hundreds of pounds of food are delivered by our sixth graders.
Goody Greetings for the Elderly
RPDS is neighbors to two assisted living facilities. Our PreK 3 classes assemble goody greetings, small goody bags with treats and student artwork or notes to help celebrate various holidays and ensure our neighbors feel loved and supported. Students also make trips to our neighboring facilities to say hello and sing songs.