Horizon 2025 - Flipbook - Page 34
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS BEYOND THE CAMPUS
Terri Wilson, Upper School Community Service Coordinator
Volunteering offers countless
opportunities to make a meaningful
impact and engage with the
community. At Shelton, community
service is a vital component of
our students’ educational journey.
During the 2024–2025 academic
year, Shelton Upper School students
contributed more than 10,052 hours
to volunteer efforts.
“These experiences deeply influenced me and
helped me discover a passion for teaching and
making a difference in students’ lives.”
— Jane Hirschenberger, Shelton Class of 2026
Brent Venable: ninth grade*
Teen Category: ages 11 - 15
Gold Award: 100+ hours
“My community service was centered
on leading and organizing a team of
volunteers to plan, design and build a
sandbox for Hyer Elementary School.
This project involved coordinating
with school staff, sourcing materials,
managing timelines and ensuring the
final structure was safe, functional and met the needs of
the students. The experience strengthened my leadership,
project management and communication skills while also
allowing me to make a meaningful contribution to the
community.”
Jane Hirschenberger: 11th grade*
Young Adult Category: ages 16 - 24
Silver Award: 175 - 249 hours
“The community service projects I
participated in include Camp Barnabas,
Vacation Bible School (VBS), the
North Texas Food Bank, Parkway Hills
Baptist Church renovations and Center
of Hope. I was inspired to take part in
these service opportunities because I
wanted to make a positive impact on people’s lives and their
families. I believe it’s important for others to witness God’s
grace and mercy and to experience the love He has shown
us.
“At VBS, I completed 12 hours of service and at Camp
Barnabas, I served for 144 hours — bringing my total to
over 150 hours. The most memorable experience by far was
Camp Barnabas, a camp designed for children with special
needs including Down syndrome, epilepsy, cerebral palsy,
autism and more. During my time there, I was assigned two
campers. My first camper was a girl with cerebral palsy
who used a wheelchair and was mostly nonverbal. We
assisted her with daily living activities such as changing
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THE HORIZON
SHELTON SCHOOL
her diaper, feeding her, showering her and transporting her
around the camp. My second camper was a 13-year-old girl
who behaved younger than her age and was very active,
often running around during meals and needing constant
supervision.
“These experiences deeply influenced me and helped me
discover a passion for teaching and making a difference in
students’ lives. At Camp Barnabas, I learned that I want to
help, teach and better understand people and their needs.
While I’ve spoken a lot about Camp Barnabas, it’s because
the experience left a lasting impression on me. I faced many
challenges including pushing myself beyond my physical
limits due to chronic back pain while doing wheelchair
transfers and constant movement. I was also tested mentally
and emotionally by the demands of a camper who was
always on the go. I relied on prayer, community support from
my Christian peers and faith to overcome these difficulties.
“This experience taught me the value of patience,
perseverance and learning through service. One piece of
advice I would give to other students is to go where you
feel called — even if it pushes you out of your comfort zone,
whether mentally or physically. Confidence doesn’t come
instantly; it takes time, effort and trust in the process.”
* Denotes grade level in the 2024-2025 school year
