You may recall that this past 10 March students from Clarke County High School helped us with electronic recycling. This Saturday, 12 May, a larger group of juniors and seniors were here to help us clear more recyclables from the attic of the original dormitory and clear the gutters on the low eaves of some of the wings of the monastery.
The students gain community service hours helping us and we got jobs organized and done that we’re usually too over-extended to get to. If it seems like a win/win situation, the monastic community really feels like the winner to host these bright, cheerful, hard-working (believe me, they worked hard!), good-humored young people. They displayed a real ability to co-operate and take initiative, apply their imagination and enjoy what they were doing. And it’s a great opportunity for them to discover that a monastery actually exists in their backyard and that they can return to enjoy the beauty and peace of the place whenever they’d wish. Several students remarked on the wonderful location and they listened with real attention to our currents projects and commitments to sustaining this environment. A few students asked some insightful questions about our life here as we worked with them, carting out and preparing paper goods for recycling. It was encouraging to hear them talk about their plans for the future; we’ll be praying that they bring the same engagement they showed today to their college education and adult lives.
The community here is very grateful to enjoy this creative collaboration with Clarke County High through their teachers, Mr. Thomas Potts and Mrs Stephanie McLain.