November 27, 2023

Dr. Beth Reaves – Head of School, Washington School for Girls (WSG)

Washington School for Girls is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

To whom much is given, much is required – Luke 12:48.

WSG recently launched a partnership with Catholic Charities D.C. and THEARC Farm to engage in service around the issue of food insecurity. This initiative is part of a cross-curricular effort connecting our Religion, Science, and Social Justice programs under the united theme of “Caring for God’s Creation.” Our students will learn about the complex factors that feed into and grow out of food insecurity, provide hands-on service, and explore new ways that they can have an ongoing impact on food access in their community.

Once a month, 8th grade students travel to Catholic Charities food distribution locations and assist in sorting, packing, and distributing food to people in need. In their small advisory groups, the girls work together to provide support that honors the dignity of each individual receiving assistance. Additionally, they learned about how food insecurity and nutrition deficits can cause larger health problems from practitioners at Georgetown University’s Hoya Clinic.

Meanwhile, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders have been discovering how to grow fruits and vegetables in partnership with THEARC Farm. This spring, we will extend this learning to our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, who will be planting a vegetable garden at their campus. From these experiences, we hope that our girls will gain a deeper understanding of how we can be stewards of God’s creation and share its abundance with those in need, and lay the foundation for expanded service partnerships in the years to come.