Christian Service
Living Out Our Christian Values
An integral part of the educational experience at Marin Catholic includes the 100-hour service requirement which has students live out the school mission of Faith, Knowledge, and Service in their community. Our Christian service learning, as an educational concept, combines students fulfilling volunteer service in the community, with reflection and discussion in classrooms in order to deepen understanding. As a school, Marin Catholic hopes that students will reflect on their service, gain understanding about others’ lives to foster compassion, and witness how our society views and interacts with some of its most vulnerable members to cultivate empathy. The focus is on social justice and Catholic Social Teaching and the responsibility each of us has to the greater world around us in living out the gospel values.
PIN hours follow the Corporal Works of Mercy, which are the teachings of Jesus. They give us a model of how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise. They are charitable actions by which we help our neighbors.
Freshman Christian Service Day
The freshman class participates in a Christian Service Day to give back to our community. The entire class serves at different locations in Marin County and San Francisco including: Homeward Bound Garden, Hamilton Children's Center, San Pedro Elementary School, Venetia Valley Elementary School, Bahia Vista Elementary School, San Francisco Marin Food Bank, St. Anthony's Dining Hall, Bacich Elementary and St. Vincent School for Boys.
We are honored to say that the freshman class begins their Christian Service journey with this day, together in fellowship.
Student Spotlights
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Surf Works
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For my 50 hour project I decided to work with Surfworks which is a non profit organization that allows kids to come out to Stinson beach for a week and learn how to surf. I volunteered as an instructor and my job was to cultivate a connection with each of the children while teaching them the finer points of surfing. Many of the kids have one or two parents who work either full time jobs or multiple jobs to support their children. Because of this, the kids are left at home all day during the summer time. This is why surf camp is so meaningful for them. It is an opportunity for them to get out of the house and be immersed in a safe and fun environment.
It is so rewarding to see the smiles on the kids’ faces after they catch a wave or paddle out all by themselves. Their joy is truly contagious. Every morning I looked forward to seeing the children’s smiles as they stood up on a wave and turned around to get acknowledgement and validation from their instructors. Their positivity and liveliness at 9:00 in the morning was astounding.
Since participating in this camp I truly believe that I have grown into a happier and more loving person. The children taught me to be grateful for the things in life that I often take for granted. They have inspired me to help others even when it sometimes feels like a chore. I can confidently say that this camp truly changed my life for the better.
Spencer Tsuchiyama '21
For my 50 hour Christian Service project, I chose to volunteer daily at the Maui Food Bank during our vacation. Service to others is always rewarding. The act of providing service in a place that means so much to me was spiritually fulfilling. I have been fortunate enough to spend a lot of time on Maui and it is like a second home to my family and me. It is disheartening to know that while we might be having fun at the beach, others are unable to feed themselves and their families. This experience was more than just a 50 hour service project. The kind, warm-hearted, helpful people at the Maui Food Bank taught me how to be a part of something bigger than myself. I hope that one day, I will bring my kids to the same food bank, so they can experience what I was fortunate enough to encounter during my time on the island of Maui.
Izzy Soja '21
This year, I volunteered at a face painting and bracelet making booth, in what is called the "Olympic Village". Instead of typically volunteering for the tennis games like I've done the past couple of years, where I am assigned to only one or two athletes, this time the athletes came to me when they weren't competing in an activity. Some of them hung around for a couple of hours and they would tell me what they most like to do and about their lives. Others stopped by for only just enough time to make something quickly before they went back to their activity. It was really nice to have conversations with them and hear their fascinating life stories. I was able to make new friends with the athletes and also visit with athletes I met over the past years. It was an amazing day and I'll definitely be back next year!
Danielle Fruge '21
I went on a mission trip to Guatemala with my mom the summer before my sophomore year. On this trip, I stayed at an orphanage named Eagles Nest and there, we served the kids, attended church services and did lots of construction for their school. This trip introduced me to some of the most humble people and joyous children who I cannot wait to go back and see. I am so blessed that I was able to go on this trip and I am truly excited to go back and serve God with these people again.
Charlotte & Claire Brockman '21
This past summer, we spent a lot of time volunteering at Aegis Living, a senior assisted living and memory care facility in Corte Madera. Because we have volunteered with many children over the last several years, we chose to spend the summer with the elderly.
Our days at Aegis were spent doing many different things. Two evenings a week we helped host their "Happy Hour". It was fun to assist residents and help pass appetizers and serve drinks, after assisting the residents with walkers into the living room where there was live entertainment. A woman named Maria really loved the cheddar cheese and ginger ale, and we would sometimes sneak extra to her. Other days, we organized and ran the Bingo games. Betting a dime for each game, the residents were intent on winning the small game money. Alice was known as the “Bingo champion" and the one who had all the “strategies", and Justin would bring his BINGO coffee mug to each game. We also spent time with residents in the dining room where we served their meals and bussed tables. Although we could never agree to it, one resident often requested we give her small dog one of the hamburgers!
Our days at Aegis were spent doing many different things. Two evenings a week we helped host their "Happy Hour". It was fun to assist residents and help pass appetizers and serve drinks, after assisting the residents with walkers into the living room where there was live entertainment. A woman named Maria really loved the cheddar cheese and ginger ale, and we would sometimes sneak extra to her. Other days, we organized and ran the Bingo games. Betting a dime for each game, the residents were intent on winning the small game money. Alice was known as the “Bingo champion" and the one who had all the “strategies", and Justin would bring his BINGO coffee mug to each game. We also spent time with residents in the dining room where we served their meals and bussed tables. Although we could never agree to it, one resident often requested we give her small dog one of the hamburgers!
What we enjoyed the most was listening to the residents' stories. A grandmother would often retell us of her days as a teacher and how proud she was that her children were all teachers and doctors now. Bunny and Jack always sat very close together on the sofas or outside by the fountain and roses, and told us how happy they each made one other. When we took their photos one day and brought prints back to them, they both were incredibly excited, and told us that they would both put the photos in their individual apartments.
We could see that the residents really enjoyed our visits. They spoke about liking our energy and smiles. While we spent time with them, they would thank us so much for coming. And each time we left, they would ask when we would return next.
675 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Kentfield CA 94904 Phone: 415-464-3898 | Email: admissions@marincatholic.org
