SOS Groups

Student Organized Service (SOS) exists to train and encourage student leaders to mobilize their peers in Christian service by providing vibrant volunteer community service opportunities. Our goal is that all students find connections to use their skills, time, and talents to serve others. SOS groups provide students opportunities to learn to think critically and outside of the box, and to pursue both righteousness and justice through service.

SOS members further God's Kingdom in their own lives and others. They develop meaningful relationships in the community that result in an understanding of our place as local and global citizens. Service enriches the life of the volunteer as much as the lives of those who are served.

Some SOS groups have few volunteers, some have many; the size makes no difference. And if a student has a passion for service that we don’t have a group for, we work together to get a group started.

mySOS Groups Where do your interests lie?

Our student leaders proposed and are leading 33 service groups for 2023-2024. New groups include Angel’s Care, Cystic Fibrosis Care, Living History, Mathcounts, Musical Memories, and New Life Furniture. Since new leaders stepped up to replace senior leaders, we still have most of our SOS groups from last year too!

SOS activities round out with our one-time events like Shantytown, MLK Service Day, Easter Egg Hunt Fundraiser, etc. SOS leaders attend servant leadership training throughout the year and create opportunities to celebrate the difference their peers make in the community.

Our 2023-2024 SOS mission statement says "SOS aims to inspire our peers to love and empower our city through service." #myschoolmycity

What is SOS?

Being a part of SOS is so much more than just earning service hours. SOS members and leaders are social entrepreneurs who:

Find authentic service experiences
Have their gifts recognized
Learn from and appreciate diverse cultures and people in the greater community
Develop a Christ-centered worldview that builds up and transforms oneself and community
Engage in high-level problem solving as they learn about needs in the world and consider how they can make a difference
Become more and more empowered to lead and get others involved
Impact the community in a real way

What does an SOS Student Leader do?

Attend the summer training and orientation planning. If you work or are in athletics, please make arrangements with your coach/employer to be present for this training.
Attend monthly SOS leader get togethers designed to build community, develop leadership and share timely information.
Research, learn about and choose a cause he or she is passionate about supporting and partners with local agencies that share the same passion or create a new way to serve that cause.
Serve with the agency/cause at least one time on their own or with a friend.
Consider how to best prepare volunteers for the culture of the place of service and then help provide training for student volunteers.
Organize transportation and adult supervision (as needed), collect permission slips and medical forms, turn in service hours for team after service, etc.
Lead volunteers through service & reflection.
Meet with Mrs. Peltier monthly to work on your group and get help as needed.
Provide photos of the group volunteering to use on SOS web pages
Provide opportunities to celebrate your team’s service (e.g. ice cream, thank you notes, pizza).

What does SOS look like?

SOS is comprised of a Student Board and a larger group of Student Leaders. The Board sets the direction of SOS and plans school-wide activities with Rebecca Peltier (Christian Service Outreach Director). The SOS Student Leaders recruit and organize volunteers for their particular service programs and ministries. All leaders are encouraged to have an adult (teacher, parent, alumni, etc.) partner with them to help establish their service program.

Who is qualified to become an SOS Student Leader?

SOS Leaders are social entrepreneurs who desire to learn and serve. Motivated by a love for the Kingdom of God and those around them, they seek to transform themselves and communities by building awareness, organizing Gr 9-12 students to volunteer, and raising funds for issues they care about. Together, SOS leaders also provide their peers opportunities to learn about issues of social justice through awareness and immersions. We have students who lead weekly after-school programs, as well as monthly, quarterly or one-time events. Our students earn grants, win awards and develop leadership skills.

Ideal SOS leaders -

Care about the needs of the world – including people, but also environment, animals, etc.
Have good follow through and are willing to work hard
Come from many different social groups from within the student body

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