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.
Servant Leadership News at Riverside
Servant leadership is at the very center of the Riverside Way and something we teach starting with our littlest learners all the way through 6th grade. The 6th grade year is so special here at RPDS, as we see those students step into leadership roles and truly model our values for all of the lower grades.
Last week our 6th grade students were hard at work with some of their Project LEADS service projects. The students did some gardening around campus, created dog and cat toys for the humane society, and also made paintings of animals that will be donated to the humane society and sold to help raise funds for the animals they shelter. We are so proud of this 6th grade class!
Our PreK 3 students have been hard at work preparing Valentine's treat bags for their elderly neighbors in the Meals on Wheels program! Back in December, our PreK 3 classes made gift bags for our neighbors and recently received a sweet note back.
Anyone notice our friendly helpers on the curb at morning drop off? Our 6th Grade students are stepping into some leadership roles at school and starting service projects this week including morning drop off patrol and campus-wide recycling. We love seeing our students care for their schoolmates and campus!
Last week our PreK 3 classes put together goodie bags for our elderly friends at the Riverside Presbyterian Apartments and the Windsor Apartment. We love teaching our students the importance of service and spreading love and joy to our neighbors!
Our 6th Grade students prepared more than 500 sandwiches for the Sulzbacher Center before leaving for Christmas Break. The meals will fed over 250 people this Christmas season. Nice teamwork, 6th Grade!