Everyone Can Serve: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Millbrook School community honored the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of service and reflection. Mindful of Dr. King’s invocation to greatness through service; “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve,” students fanned out across campus and beyond to put words into action.
The third form traveled to the Bronx River Reservation in White Plains for a litter cleanup along the river. Students added nearly 1000 pounds of trash to a pile gathered by other volunteers to help heal the fragile ecosystem along the waterway.
Fourth and fifth form students watched Selma, the 2014 film about the struggle for civil rights in early 1960s Alabama and then went on to workshops led by faculty. Billy Thom used words and ideas from Dr. King's speeches and sermons to embolden students to uncover their personal truths. He then led groups in a storytelling activity and encouraged students to share their stories more widely as a way of strengthening community. Prince Botchway shared clips of Loretta J. Ross's TED Talk: Don't call people out, call them in. Students were then asked to journal and quietly reflect on times when they felt called out and to explore ways to choose love, understand one another, and accept and embrace differences. History teacher Jack Harlan focused on the roots and meaning of the word “service.” While engaging with primary sources from Dr. King, bell hooks, and Brene Brown, students thought deeply about the meaning and reality of service and what it means to truly serve others.
Kathy Havard presented information about the impacts of legislation on disenfranchisement. Students analyzed data to make connections between state and federal laws and voter turnout. Sixth formers Ava Raiser and Madison Weis led a voting simulation, dividing students into groups opposed on an issue. Representatives from the United Way and Dutchess Outreach were also on campus to discuss their work and to encourage student engagement.
The VIth form traveled to Albany to participate in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Beloved Community March through the streets of the state capital. Back on campus, students did maintenance work at the Trevor Zoo while others cleaned and made repairs in cooperation with Aramark dining hall staff. Commemorative activities culminated with a student-led panel discussion with reflections on Dr. King’s words.
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