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A coed, independent, Episcopal day school in Tampa, Florida, educating students in pre-k through twelfth grade

Community Service

students doing community service, private school

Community service is woven into student life in a significant way at Berkeley Preparatory School. In fact, we required community service well before it became a national trend—Berkeley students do more than 30,000 hours of community service each year. We have long held the notion that lessons learned in class are enriched by joining community efforts off campus. 

 

Participating in community service gives students an opportunity to learn how to be good citizens and develop a sense of purpose. It’s not about logging hours; it’s about unleashing leadership qualities, building empathy, and stirring students’ passions to make the world a better place. As a result, many of our students’ community service hours far exceed the program requirements. Students at Berkeley learn firsthand how much more they receive when they give back to the community.

 

Some community service experiences are on or near campus (like volunteering at the Berkeley Academy or the Berkeley Food Pantry across the street), some involve visiting nonprofits in Tampa Bay (like the Humane Society of Tampa Bay), and others are international (such as trips to the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas).

 

Learn more below about Berkeley’s division-specific and schoolwide community service efforts.

BPS Crest

Can Food Drive

COMMUNITY SERVICE COUNCIL EVENTS

 

The Community Service Council at Berkeley holds schoolwide community service events throughout the year, such as the annual Canned Food Drive. Students bring in canned goods that are distributed to Feeding Tampa Bay and Metropolitan Ministries. In the 2023 drive, Lower and Upper Division students collected 2,378 pounds of food and Middle Division students collected 1,754 items. 

Details: Share the Love of Reading Book Drive is Berkeley Parents’ Association’s annual book drive benefiting schools in our community and local charities.

Date: October 23-27, 2023 (Monday – Friday)

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION SERVICE EVENTS

 

Berkeley’s Parents’ Association also holds schoolwide service events, such as the annual Share the Love of Reading Book Drive. Students bring in thousands of books that are donated to local schools and charities. 

Share the Love of Reading book drive and private elementary school in Tampa FL

FAMILY SERVICE COUNCIL EVENTS

 

The Family Service Council at Berkeley—which is made up of faculty, staff, and parents—meets regularly after school hours to plan two schoolwide service events each year for hundreds of students, parents, and employees.

 

Past events have included packing 30,000 meals for Tampa Bay residents in need with U.S. Hunger, picking up litter at several parks with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, and sorting food at a Feeding Tampa Bay warehouse.

BPS Crest

Verla Strain, Director of Community Engagement at private school in Tampa, FL

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information about community service at Berkeley Preparatory School, contact Verla Strain, Director of Community Engagement and Upper Division Mathematics Teacher:

 

straiver@jdzruiran.com