On May 9th, 2026, Kent School students walked out of their classrooms and participated in OutREACH, a large-scale community service event which offered opportunities for students to collaborate with local communities and engage in hands-on labor and service to give back to the local community.

Students participated in different activities, such as constructing flower beds, maintaining mountain biking trails, helping address food insecurity, assisting with the library’s used book sale, cleaning up litter along roads surrounding the campus, and chaperoning local children during Field Day activities. Other students visited the Kent Historical Society to help maintain local historical trails and public spaces.

Stratton W., one of the students who worked with the gardeners, helped build flower beds and plow the land in order to help farmers prepare for planting. “For me, the most meaningful part was building these flower beds from scratch,” he said. “Using wood and screws, we actually constructed something that the community will use in the future.”

For many students, OutREACH Day provided a different learning experience compared to studying in the classroom. On that day, learning came from experiences involving hands-on labor, teamwork, and direct engagement with the community.

Teamwork was also one of the most important parts of the day. Whether working in the garden, clearing trails, preparing food, or organizing children’s activities, each student undertook a different task, and together they completed the entire project. 

For many students, this event also strengthened their awareness of the relationship between Kent School and the surrounding community, as well as the importance of helping others. “I feel that we have a moral responsibility to give back to the community and to help those around us,” Stratton said.

Through these initiatives, Outreach Day not only allowed students to make a tangible impact on the community, but also strengthened the bonds among students themselves, as well as the connection between the school and the wider community.