Our St. Augustine Preschool Helps Students by Helping Others

Bartram Academy is committed to helping others and teaching our students to do the same. Not only is this a part of the Reggio Emilia model, but it is also the right thing to do. Our school year is filled with events and projects throughout St. Johns, FL, that work toward giving to those in need. We are always looking for more ways to help out – if you know of something, do not hesitate to let us know.

By creating volunteer opportunities for kids, we teach them to be caring and respectful of others. Research has shown that one hour a week can have a positive influence on decisions later in life. Children also learn to better appreciate what they have and can strengthen their math and money skills when counting charity donations.

Seasonal Activities 

During the holiday season, we participate in the St. Johns Cares Giving Tree Initiative, where students and their families help others with their holiday wish lists. This can include helping families, the elderly, individuals, and even animals. We do our best to spread the holiday spirit to everyone we can by sharing what we have with those less fortunate.

These efforts include a food drive every Thanksgiving that goes to the local Mandarin Food Bank. We ask children to bring in dried and canned foods, and they love watching the box get full. Recently, we also started a donation drive for back-to-school time. Students and teachers collected notebooks, pencils, crayons, and more to give to a needy school in the community. Our first year saw 50 backpacks stuffed with supplies, and we could not have been prouder.

Relief Efforts and Sponsorship

Another cause we give to is natural disaster relief, which is needed at different times of the year for everything from hurricanes to flood and tornadoes. We work closely with local charity organizations to send goods to victims of these catastrophes. For example, we recently worked alongside Rainier Inc. of Jacksonville to gather donations for the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, flood victims.

Of course, we do not forget academy institutions either. We sponsor both Bartram Springs Elementary and Duval Charter at Flagler Center, along with Woofstock and the Springfield Pet Rescue Group. Because we are a school that believes in sustainability in childcare and healthy lifestyles, we sponsor a number of local sports teams, including:

  • Nocatee Football and Cheerleading
  • The JCB Raptors
  • The Ponte Vedra JDL Sharks
  • I-9 Football

We are always in search of more ways to give. Contact us to learn about our charitable activities or to suggest one of your own. Alternatively, call to schedule a tour of our St. Augustine preschool to talk to us in person.