News

Returning Students can Choose Projects For Non Sibi Day 2008

Though half of Spring Term remains, the Community Service Office has begun planning for Non Sibi Day 2008. Project signups will begin on May 7 on PAnet. This is the second Non Sibi Day Phillips Academy has organized. Members of the Phillips Academy community – students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents – participate in various acts of community service not just on the school campus but in various locations across the world. The committee has already met to discuss plans for the upcoming Non Sibi Day. After the meeting, the committee decided to introduce a new system in which students, with the exception of Juniors, are given the opportunity to select their own projects. The Community Service Office will host a fair in UnCommons later this term, where students can learn more about each individual project and talk to the project organizers. The distributed information will provide details including the type of project, location and the time it will take place. In choosing their projects, upperclassmen have priority over Lowers. The Non Sibi Day 2008 steering committee consists of Director of Community Service Chad Green, Assistant Director of Community Service Adrienne Marshall, Associate Director of Alumni Affairs Jennifer Savino, Teaching Fellow in Community Service Alana Rush, as well as alumni, faculty, parent and staff representatives. Cliff Brannan ’11, Krystle Manuel-Countee ’09, Michaeljit Sandhu ’09 and Tori Wilmarth ’09 also participate in discussions. Rush said that granting students freedom to choose their projects is “puts more control in students’ hands.” Wesley Meyer ‘11 said, “It’s better because people will be more willing to participate in something they choose to do as opposed to being forced to do it.” Annie Li ‘10 said, “Even though it takes longer to choose what you want to do, you [are given the opportunity to] take the initiative … “I’m looking forward to see what they have to offer.” Juniors, along with their prefects, will continue to help out at the Spicket River as they did for Non Sibi Day 2007. Incoming Lowers, Uppers and PGs will be assigned to projects at random. Alumni, faculty and parents are also encouraged to sign up for Non Sibi Day. During its regular meeting time on May 15, the Parents of Students of Phillips Academy (PSPA) will conduct a meeting during which parents can find out how to be involved.