Developing Leaders

Going Out to Serve

During Year 10, 11 and 12 students have many opportunities to serve both within the School Community and beyond. Service to others provides students with new insights into the world around them. It builds character and resilience. Service helps the students to appreciate what they have and it encourages them to see the world from a perspective that is not their own.

During Year 11 every student completes twenty five hours of Community Service. They may choose to serve within the School community or may use their time and energy in other pursuits like providing entertainment at local Nursing Homes, assisting with gift wrapping for Lifeline or packing Christmas Hampers for Anglicare.

For many students in Year 11 their service involves working as Peer Support leaders for Year 7. In this role they support and encourage the Year 7 students as they settle into secondary school.

Service opportunities also exist outside Australia. Through the Thailand Outreach, a number of Year 11 and 12 students have the opportunity to work with children and families in schools, hospitals and villages in Thailand.

Students may also serve beyond this community through their fund raising efforts for St Michael School Tanzania. In 2009 there will be an opportunity for a small group of students to visit Tanzania and work at St Michael School for a short period.

The opportunity to serve, whether with the School community or beyond, changes lives. Service challenges the thinking of these young people and they begin to consider how it is they can change the world in the future to be better for all.

Macarthur not only aims to provide our students with more than an academic education. We believe that we are educating our young people to be responsible citizens, adults who put others before themselves and who are interested in what is good for many. This is part of our Christian mission - building positive hopeful young people who have the desire to make a difference in the world.