Every Gibbons sophomore, junior, and senior has been to Beginning and Beyond, the daycare located near downtown Raleigh, whether it was for a service day or a volunteer opportunity.
Freshmen are required to take a service day with their advisories to learn why we serve as a community. This service day consists of going to the daycare, to help tutor and play with the kids, as well as spending time with their new advisory to get to know one another better.
When these freshmen attend their service day, a common theme sticks out about their day: how much fun they had at the daycare! Numerous freshmen mainly ask these two questions to their advisors: “How can we go back to Beginning and Beyond?” and “How do we get involved in service at Gibbons?”
Well, you can begin by joining FYI, by contacting a moderator for the Schoology code.
The first time freshmen go to Beginning and Beyond, it is only for a couple hours and they are still getting to know how the daycare works. The difference between this introduction versus frequently visiting Beginning and Beyond is immense for the children.
A lot of these children have difficult lives, and getting a visit from their favorite Gibbons kids can bring joy into their entire week.
Spiritual Life Coordinator Ms. Windi Mitchell is not only responsible for organizing the service day for freshmen, but is also the woman in charge for arranging the weekly tutoring sessions at Beginning and Beyond.
“Providing one-on-one attention to the children at Beginning and Beyond is invaluable,” Mitchell said. “Being able to be present for them, teach them, and play with them is vital to their development.”
The way to get involved by weekly going to Beginning and Beyond consists of:
- Joining FYI! You can email the moderators, Mr. Mark Delarosa, Ms. Peggy Monti, or Ms. Mitchell to add you to the Schoology group!
- Sign up ahead of time! There is a sign-up paper on Ms. Mitchell’s door to sign up for a Thursday tutoring session. Put your first and last name, and indicate if you will be driving or going on the bus
- When the last bell rings on Thursday, head down to the Spiritual Life Center to sign-in for Thursday’s tutoring session
- Visit and Have Fun! After signing in, you will either take the bus or drive yourself to Beginning and Beyond for an hour of tutoring.
“I have such a soft spot in my heart for Beginning and Beyond, because of the important work that they do for children in Raleigh,” said Mitchell.
Whether you’re a freshman who loved their service day, or an upperclassmen who has not visited in a while, you could visit Beginning and Beyond this week. You never know the way it can put a smile on a child’s face – or even your own.
