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Sitting down to write this article has felt a bit weird, if I’m being honest—something about talking up community service projects has always felt a bit strange to me, but we're just so excited about what our kids are working on that I can’t help but share a little. Our students are already proving that making a difference doesn’t always have to be a big production—even small, consistent actions can create a powerful ripple effect.

A Glorious Start: “Cans of Glory” Food Drive

Take, for example, our ASB’s first high school-wide community service project of the year: “Cans of Glory.” One of our student videographers recently interviewed ASB Community Service Project Coordinator, Yuna Bae, who spoke about the heart behind this initiative.

The project encourages each Family Group to collect food to help those in need in our local community. “For Cans of Glory, each Family Group is encouraged to collect as many cans as possible, and all the food will be shared with people in need in our community,” Yuna explained. “We planned this as our September and early October project, collecting until the first week of October, after which our ASB officers will deliver the food.”
The goal, she described, is simple and profound: to not only serve our local community but also to show students that service doesn’t have to be big or intimidating. “Something as simple as buying and donating food together can make a real difference,” Yuna relayed. “The goal is to help everyone experience the joy of working together for a good cause and get the food to people in our community.”

This food drive is addressing a known need, as 11% of residents in San Bernardino County experience low food security (according to San Bernardino County Community Indicators), and one in six children face hunger. While the statistics can be hard to visualize—even with powerful art installations, like the one that hung in the Zapara School of Business lobby last year, that are designed to make the numbers concrete—the need is clear. It’s wonderful seeing the students make a direct difference in our local community, knowing that even a few cans can help.

On top of that, they’re building teamwork in their Family Groups and having a little fun! The Family Group that collects the most food celebrates with a pizza party. It’s a fantastic way to unite our entire high school around a simple yet incredibly impactful cause.

More than a Checkmark: Project IMPACT

Yuna Bae and Ms. Mazo, the administrator in charge of overseeing community service projects, are already “bouncing around other ideas” for future service opportunities. The focus is on giving and serving consistently throughout the year, moving beyond only giving at “big giving” times or simply checking a box (we see you, service hours requirement!).

This quest aligns perfectly with a new initiative from the National Honor Society (NHS) called Project IMPACT. In this new program, students divide into groups and choose a service project that they will dedicate time and effort to for the entire school year. With the support of NHS sponsor, Mrs. Iwasa, it’s been incredible watching their creativity unfold. We’ve been positively surprised more than once by the thoughtful and unique projects they’ve chosen! At the end of the year, we’ll hear even more when they present their experience and the results of their projects.

It is truly wonderful seeing these student-led and staff-supported service projects take shape and gain momentum. We’re not only looking forward to seeing the positive impact on the community, but also watching our students realize the power their actions can hold. They are not too young or too small to make a marked difference.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of "more than me" discovery this year. We can’t wait to share what else we have in store, including Unity Day (coming up October 22, 2025), where we spend time uniting for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion and against bullying (you can join in by wearing your best orange attire), and our school-wide Community Service Day later in the year.
 

What a day at the Dozer Store! On September 19th, our students not only shopped up a storm but also showed some incredible skills that go far beyond just buying a new squishy toy. The store brought in a fantastic 366 Dozer Dollars—a testament to all the hard work everyone is putting in.

First, a quick rundown on how our Dozer system works. Elementary students who are on time and have good attendance receive a "Dozer Dollar" for their punctuality. They can then choose to spend these dollars at the Dozer Store, which opens every other Friday, or they can save them up for a bigger prize that usually comes at the end of each quarter. The store is stocked with popular items like pencil packs, stickers, fidget toys, notebooks, erasers, and squishy toys.

With so much on offer, it was inspiring to see how our students handled the shopping experience. Even with the store limit of five students at a time, there were no signs of frustration. Instead, those waiting their turn showed amazing patience and self-regulation. We saw them expressing enthusiasm and support for their friends, excited for them to find something they love. This cooperative spirit continued inside the store, where many students displayed remarkable kindness. They were often seen sharing new discoveries, offering suggestions, and encouraging one another, which truly fostered a collaborative and respectful environment.

Beyond the fun of shopping, our Dozer Store is a real-world classroom for financial literacy. It's been great to watch students think about their purchases. Many are already grasping the concept of saving, choosing to hold onto their Dozer Dollars to make a bigger purchase later. This kind of thoughtful decision-making is a huge step in understanding the value of money and planning for the future.

The lessons don't stop when they leave the store. We've heard many students talk about how they plan to keep their new items safe in their backpacks. This pride in their new belongings shows they're learning the importance of ownership and responsibility. They're not just buying things; they're learning to care for them.

The Dozer Store isn't just a place to spend Dozer Dollars—it's a place where our students are growing, learning, and showing some truly admirable qualities. It's a joy to watch them navigate these new experiences with such kindness and maturity.

“I wish we had this when we were freshmen.”

That's the overwhelming feeling from the seniors who spoke at our Freshmen Seminar this week. “Freshmen what?” you might be asking yourselves, and the answer is exactly. Freshmen Seminar is not a typical class; It’s a guide to high school success, created from a blend of curriculum and the real-life experiences and advice of students who've been there and done that. It’s a powerful example of how our most seasoned students are stepping up to support the newest members of our community.

At first, our seniors were a bit skeptical. They thought they'd just be “holding hands,” and that the class would be a waste of time. But they quickly realized it was so much more. This was a chance for them to share personal, honest advice you can't get from a textbook. As one senior put it, “This was very personal—it is real people with real experiences and advice for their exact situation.”

“Real Talk” from Our Seniors

The class got right to the point. After a quick introduction, our seniors jumped into a short message on a specific topic, followed by a Q&A session. They shared their own struggles and successes, sharing what they learned about topics like:

• Time Management: Juggling school, extracurricular, and a social life without getting completely buried.
• The Cost of Procrastination: One senior bravely shared how a lack of sleep and less than ideal planning affected them and their trajectory into their future, specifically mentioning that they now have more stress with studying for the SAT than they might have if they had made different choices.
• The Power of Organization: The seniors went beyond the basics. The Student Senate President and other seniors taught freshmen everything from how to keep a binder neat (no more just shoving papers into their backpacks) to creating a focused study space. A freshman mentioned, “I didn't know how much even just having my phone next to me could affect my ability to study and learn well!”
• Balancing Everything: Senior Benson Hayton even talked about one of the specific challenges that students face: wanting to do everything. Senior after senior supported this, emphasizing that the freshmen should be aware that there is such a thing as participating in too many things, with one phrase standing out in particular, “Once you figure out school life, you can figure out social life.” 

What really surprised the seniors was how much the freshmen were listening. “Most of them were actually listening, which was pretty surprising,” one senior said. After the talks, the freshmen asked a ton of questions, making the senior presenters feel like their advice was genuinely helpful.

A Teacher's Perspective

Our high school science teacher, Mrs. Brittney Smith, who teaches the class, is just as excited about it as the students. “I love that there is a class that helps set our kids up for success and help them adjust to the transition into high school,” she said. In the past, she tried to fit this type of guidance and skill learning into her biology course, but she loves that there is now a dedicated space to go into more depth.

Even in these early days, the class has created some special and memorable moments. Mrs. Smith’s favorite memory so far was watching students learn how to have respectful discussions. During a debrief, several students mentioned how nice it was to have a discussion where they felt everyone was actually hearing and responding to them, rather than just waiting for their turn to talk. She also loves watching her senior teaching assistants get so invested in the conversations and want to chime in with their own advice.

A Class for Everyone

At the end of the day, it turned out that it wasn't just the freshmen who were learning. As they prepared their talks, the senior speakers were reminded of their own high school journeys. “Me and several other seniors were learning from our talks as we listened and gave them,” one student admitted.

And the freshmen are already putting the advice to the test! One freshman said the class was “very helpful” because the advice came from people who “KNOW” what they're going through, and they decided to skip football this year in favor of getting a strong foundation in academics and music. Zoe, another freshman, believes the class will be helpful “in the long run,” getting her ready for both the rest of high school and college. All the students, seniors and freshmen alike, are hopeful that this will be the first of many classes and experiences that teach them “real-life” skills.

The Freshman Seminar has quickly become something new and exciting on campus. It's a place where students can connect, share wisdom, and give our youngest high school students the tools they need to not just survive high school, but to “own it.” It's one simple example of how our community supports each other and what it means to be a part of something bigger than yourself.