Helping Hands and Cooking Meals Builds Community Connections

Community service learning and giving back to those in need continues to be a division-wide experience for the Middle School community as a busy Friday afternoon marked the first installment of the annual community service project, Life is Delicious. 

The Life is Delicious program provides patrons at the Columbus House Shelter in New Haven with a hot homemade meal and conversations. 

Gathered together in the cafeteria, participating students were freshly gloved and ready to cook under the assistance and guidance of past parent and longtime program volunteer Christine Fontana. Tables across the back of the cafeteria were different stations designated for each course. The students quickly got to work preparing the ingredients for the meal, which consisted of lasagna, chopped green salad and fruit salad, sliced bread, and chocolate-frosted cupcakes. 

The students also worked alongside Director of Middle School Brian Christman and faculty volunteers including art teacher Kristen Thornton, science teacher Aidan Clark-Long, and math teacher Jared Katz. Both Mr. Clark-Long and Mr. Katz helped the students chop the fruit including pineapple, cantaloupe, and honey dew melon. Mrs. Thornton oversaw the students baking the cupcakes.

After the meal was cooked and ready to go, a group of students proceeded to the shelter to deliver and serve the meal. Those students included seventh-graders Sophia Hart, Kaelyn Godinez, Kinan Harb, Nate Moschetto, Claire Wang, Olivia Zajec and eighth-graders Caleb Desta, Eyal Israel, and Teagan Bird along with Mr. Christman.

“We had a great first session of Life is Delicious,” said Mr. Christman. “Thank you to everyone who pitched in. It was our first time ever serving at the main shelter, which was exciting for everyone.”

The Life is Delicious program has been a staple in the Middle School since its inception in the 2011-2012 school year. The next scheduled dates include Friday, February 2, Friday March 1, and Friday, April 5 with each Middle School advisor group rotating between the dates.