In the “Generosity Changed My Life” breakout session, Craven County School Superintendent Dr. Megan Doyle shared how the generosity of United Methodists in the North Carolina Conference has changed her life and the lives of children in schools all across the district.
In 2018, we expect all cars to have air conditioning; people would be shocked to buy a new car with roll up windows. Yet teachers today are asked to meet “air conditioning” expectations with “crank window” support and funding from the state. Churches like Centenary United Methodist Church (New Bern) have partnered with schools like Oaks Road Elementary through the Congregations For Children (C4C) initiative to provide amazing benefits both for the school and the congregation.
Initially, a handful of volunteers from the church invested 1000 hours in the school. The group has grown, and members of the congregation now spend almost 6000 hours in the school, which is equivalent to 6 people on campus every day.
Dr. Doyle encouraged us all to consider what we love and find a way to employ that love at our local school. Volunteering does not have to be tutoring. If you love spreadsheets, offer to aggregate data for the principal. If you have 20 minutes every morning, you can open milk cartons for elementary students at breakfast or greet kids in the carpool line. All you need is a heart for your community and the time to show up on a consistent basis.
Go to your local school principal and ask how you can help support the students and the teachers in your neighborhood.