Community Service Day - Part 1

Well, here it is. Literally 4 months worth of research, begging, borrowing, planning, and worrying all came down to one day. Every year, BCG does a community outreach day. It is a time for all of us white collar folks to get out of the office, away from computers and blackberries, and have a physical hand in helping the community. Yes, we do lots of pro-bono work, and yes, we are active individually in community and charity efforts, but 1 day a year, we literally close the office, and nearly every person out of 100 people comes to lend a hand.

This year we picked KIPP Ways Academy:


They are 5th-8th graders who are in a zip code where every school is failing on standerdized everything. They go to school from 7:30 am - 5:30 pm, attend school on Saturday at least 2 out of 4 every month, and 3 weeks of summer school every year. They are the 4th best middle school in the entire state of GA, and the best middle school in Atlanta Public Schools. They are literally working 60% more than every other student out there, but that is why they are so successful. Can I get an AMEN? So, yes, I picked this school again, and yes, they are deserving, but what, may you ask, do you DO to help this place?

Well, here goes.
1) Build an outdoor classroom. The end result:

Working it out...

Before we got started

Pushing hard...

2) The amphitheater:
Before, and after. I mean, is their really any comparison? And BTW, the entire campus had ZERO, and I do mean, not any, flowers, on the property. We added two flower beds, one here, and one at the outdoor classroom.

3) The Band Room
New Shelving, 3 new murals, organizing, the works!

4) Classroom materials –

Now this one I pulled out of my booty. They needed bookcases, storage cabinets, filing cabinets, teacher’s tables, and the works! I did not have the money to make this happen. I did however get people to give me things at cost. And about 5k of stuff donated. Thank the good lord.

See the next post for the rest of the projects!