King Cares
The King Cares service program reinforces the school’s belief that community engagement is central to educational excellence.
This program combines service learning with community engagement to help students achieve an understanding of their skills, explore areas of interest, build empathy, and engage with multiple perspectives. Through the process, they discover how they can use their skills and interests to strengthen our community through a partnership among students, families, faculty, staff, and partner organizations. As the students participate, they problem solve and further develop leadership, collaboration, and communication skills, as well as a greater understanding of who they are, our shared humanity, and their role in the community.
King Cares prepare students to positively impact an interconnected society through civic and social engagement.
Examples of Programs
King Cares Partnerships
- American Red Cross
- Bennett Cancer Center/Stamford Hospital
- American Heart Association
- American Red Cross
- Bennett Cancer Center/Stamford Hospital
- Boys and Girls Club
- Building One Community
- Children of Fallen Patriots
- The Children’s Learning Centers
- El Sistema
- Harlem Lacrosse
- India Cultural Center
- Inspirica
- Jack and Jill of America
- Kids in Crisis
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
- Long Ridge Post-Acute Care Center
- Midnight Run
- New Covenant House
- North Rampart Community Center- NOLA
- Norwalk Grassroots tennis
- The Orphaned Starfish Foundation
- Person-to Person
- Project Music
- SoundWaters
- SPCA
- Stamford Nature Center and Arboretum
- Stamford PEACE- Beyond Limits Tutoring
Calendar
-
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
-
TBD
-
TBD
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
LS Gymnasium
all day
Off Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
all day
On Campus
-
Off Campus
all day
US Gymnasium
-
All Divisions
-
Athletic Fields
-
Upper School
-
PAC Courtyard
For more information about the King Cares Service Program, please contact Karen Raidt, Director of the King Cares Service Program & Student Services, at kraidt@kingschoolct.org.
King Cares in Action
![King of Spring Celebrates Community]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1682711177/kinglow/yq4dtxde6efvyih1ferd/KingCaresFamilyDayofService202304232023-02928.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1682711177/kinglow/yq4dtxde6efvyih1ferd/KingCaresFamilyDayofService202304232023-02928.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1682711177/kinglow/yq4dtxde6efvyih1ferd/KingCaresFamilyDayofService202304232023-02928.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1682711177/kinglow/yq4dtxde6efvyih1ferd/KingCaresFamilyDayofService202304232023-02928.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1682711177/kinglow/yq4dtxde6efvyih1ferd/KingCaresFamilyDayofService202304232023-02928.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1682711177/kinglow/yq4dtxde6efvyih1ferd/KingCaresFamilyDayofService202304232023-02928.jpg","width":1620}])
Last week’s King of Spring celebration culminated with a weekend that drew the community out in droves bringing Athletics, King Cares, and Performing Arts together to celebrate the school’s spirit. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families cheered on sports teams Saturday, April 22. They returned the following day to volunteer at King’s Family Day of Service and jam to live music at the King Music Festival in support of Project Music.
![King School and the American School of Warsaw Partner to Help Ukrainian Children]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1654113920/kinglow/cnkajiakdijmtbfwlz9v/Ukraine_Seeds.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1654113920/kinglow/cnkajiakdijmtbfwlz9v/Ukraine_Seeds.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1654113920/kinglow/cnkajiakdijmtbfwlz9v/Ukraine_Seeds.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1654113920/kinglow/cnkajiakdijmtbfwlz9v/Ukraine_Seeds.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1654113920/kinglow/cnkajiakdijmtbfwlz9v/Ukraine_Seeds.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1654113920/kinglow/cnkajiakdijmtbfwlz9v/Ukraine_Seeds.jpg","width":2200}])
King School is partnering with the American School of Warsaw to support Ukrainian children who have fled their country due to the Russian invasion and sought refuge in Poland. This week, King is collecting school supplies such as crayons, markers, pencil cases, notebooks, pens, and pencils to send to Ukrainian children who are attending the school in Warsaw.
![Inaugural King of Spring Events Bloom Into Action]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1651687754/kinglow/h2xva1wkwvnrxkr3h8td/KingofSpring_ServiceProject.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1651687754/kinglow/h2xva1wkwvnrxkr3h8td/KingofSpring_ServiceProject.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1651687754/kinglow/h2xva1wkwvnrxkr3h8td/KingofSpring_ServiceProject.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1651687754/kinglow/h2xva1wkwvnrxkr3h8td/KingofSpring_ServiceProject.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1651687754/kinglow/h2xva1wkwvnrxkr3h8td/KingofSpring_ServiceProject.png","width":1331}])
King of Spring was in full bloom on King School’s campus last weekend. The inaugural festivities showcased King’s extracurricular programs – Athletics, King Cares Service Learning, and Performing Arts – during a week of fun-filled activities.
Leading up to the weekend, each division hosted a different theme each day for Spirit Week to kick off the celebration with a major show of Viking Pride. To name a few, the week featured a tie dye day in the Lower School, Wacky Wednesday in the Middle School, a neon day in the Upper School, and an all school King Spirit day at the end of the week.
![Service Learning STEM Project Connects Students With Learners Abroad]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1646855984/kinglow/okg8vrbxc8xhrownmqpi/OrphanStarfishFoundation.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1646855984/kinglow/okg8vrbxc8xhrownmqpi/OrphanStarfishFoundation.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1646855984/kinglow/okg8vrbxc8xhrownmqpi/OrphanStarfishFoundation.png","width":761}])
King School’s sixth grade students revved their engines as they built custom-designed Lego cars for students in Peru and Costa Rica. The design process included competition, as students raced against one another, using balloons to propel the cars forward. After perfecting their designs, the students disassembled the cars, carefully packaged them up, and sent them off to fellow students in Peru and Costa Rica. The collaboration is part of King’s partnership with the Orphaned Starfish Foundation (OSF).
![King Celebrates the Holidays with Person to Person Donation Drives]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1638392159/kinglow/fl4lq8d1szhyfobtokmr/US_Donations.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1638392159/kinglow/fl4lq8d1szhyfobtokmr/US_Donations.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1638392159/kinglow/fl4lq8d1szhyfobtokmr/US_Donations.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1638392159/kinglow/fl4lq8d1szhyfobtokmr/US_Donations.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1638392159/kinglow/fl4lq8d1szhyfobtokmr/US_Donations.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1638392159/kinglow/fl4lq8d1szhyfobtokmr/US_Donations.jpg","width":2200}])
In alignment with King School’s commitment to community, King is collaborating with Darien-based nonprofit Person to Person this holiday season. The relationship is not new, but with each year, it grows more plentiful. King recently hosted the most successful food drive to date, donating 5,814 pounds of food to the Person to Person pantry.
![Middle School Conducts a Kindness Campaign]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1638387672/kinglow/d4o8zkgih1pv0zgwku0i/GiveBackTuesday1.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1638387672/kinglow/d4o8zkgih1pv0zgwku0i/GiveBackTuesday1.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1638387672/kinglow/d4o8zkgih1pv0zgwku0i/GiveBackTuesday1.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1638387672/kinglow/d4o8zkgih1pv0zgwku0i/GiveBackTuesday1.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1638387672/kinglow/d4o8zkgih1pv0zgwku0i/GiveBackTuesday1.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1638387672/kinglow/d4o8zkgih1pv0zgwku0i/GiveBackTuesday1.jpg","width":2200}])
Kindness is central at King, so when a few students found a pocket of free time after school, it was recognized as an opportunity, and “Give Back Tuesday'' was born. “We thought of community-based partnerships and a way that would really reach home during the holiday season,” said Ben Magidson, Associate Head of Middle School and Middle School Dean of Student Life. Magidson began working with members of the community to spearhead the initiative.
![King Cares Revitalizes Local Community Garden]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1635295298/kinglow/fvoopxz08bitlqrcg7j7/B1C_Garden2.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1635295298/kinglow/fvoopxz08bitlqrcg7j7/B1C_Garden2.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1635295298/kinglow/fvoopxz08bitlqrcg7j7/B1C_Garden2.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1635295298/kinglow/fvoopxz08bitlqrcg7j7/B1C_Garden2.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1635295298/kinglow/fvoopxz08bitlqrcg7j7/B1C_Garden2.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1635295298/kinglow/fvoopxz08bitlqrcg7j7/B1C_Garden2.jpg","width":2200}])
It was a chilly February day in 2020 when students from the King Cares B1C Homework Club recognized the potential in the space outside the Building One Community (B1C) center. Maybe some window boxes would brighten the space and improve the view for the B1C community, Covid snarled progress, but the students continued to deliberate, and what started as a discussion about flower pots, grew into a community garden called “Common Ground.”
Thank you to all the students and staffulty across the school who created 350 grab-and-go snack bags decorated with messages of gratitude and Happy Valentine's Day wishes. Their outreach supported the healthcare workers vaccinating the public at Stamford Hospital and the healthcare workers at Long Ridge Post-Acute Care.
In late January, Grade 7 students enjoyed a day of service and activities at Building One Community: The Center for Immigrant Opportunity, Long Ridge Rehabilitation Center, and Trap't Escape Room. Students worked with local communities for a morning of meaningful service and collaborated as a team for afternoon activities.