April 8, 2011

Regents Daily News:
April 8, 2011

Aiming at Service

If you don’t know what you’re aiming at, you’ll hit it every time. It’s true in archery, and it’s true in life.

What is Regents aiming at? The school board has articulated its vision for a Regents graduate, identifying a number of traits we are aiming to cultivate in our students as they pass through our halls.

The Regents vision for a graduate includes the following traits: virtue and mature character, sound reason and sound faith, a masterful command of language, well-rounded competence, literacy with broad exposure to books, and an established aesthetic. We’re obviously aiming high!

But then there is one more included in the list: service to others. The description attached to it reads, “We expect our graduates to ‘Love their neighbor’ by serving others in their community.  Graduates need to develop an awareness of the many types of needs that others around them have and learn to be like Christ in their willingness to minister to others.”

The BIG Serve is one way Regents Academy attempts to instill this trait in our students’ lives and hearts.

Our school has already raised more than $20,000 in sponsorships through the BIG Serve. These are critically needed funds that are paying down the debt on our school facility. Lord willing, even more donations will come in – as a result of your support letters. But the BIG Serve is much bigger than just a fundraiser.

Next Friday 116 student s and dozens of teachers and parents will spread out around Nacogdoches and serve our community. What will students be doing?
•    Going to Magnolia Court Assisted Living and the Senior Center to serve ice cream and plant flowers
•    Painting benches and picking up trash at the soccer fields
•    Planting flowers and shrubs at the landfill
•    Washing police cars and the swat van
•    Doing yard work for area senior adults
•    Sprucing up the Chamber of Commerce flower beds
•    Mulching and pulling weeds on the square downtown
•    Helping to finish up a Habitat for Humanity home
•    Going to Love INC clients’ homes to paint, build a wheelchair ramp, and do yard work
•    Planting and doing yard work at the Helping House (center for children with autism)
•    Picking up trash on the Lanana Creek trail.

And through it all, students will learn by experience what Jesus taught: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” It is an exciting day – students take a break from classes, spend the day outside, and enjoy each other’s company as they work together. But most of all, they are blessed when they give their time and service to others.

And please know that this is a great day of service for parents also. We still need volunteers! If you can devote all or part of your day to driving or working at the service sites, please let the school office know.

Proverbs 11:25 reads, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” This is what the BIG Serve is all about.

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