Over 80 students and community members gathered at Waubonsie Valley High School today to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the fifth annual MLK Day of Service event, hosted by Parents Advocating for the Greater Enrichment of Students (PAGES).
“MLK represented service, he represented love. So we continue to have this event because we want to share that message, and through our service event, we want to demonstrate to our students and other schools, that this is really a time more than ever to support one another and to really show that love, support, and service in our communities,” said Latoya Campbell, co-president of PAGES.
Giving back on MLK Day
To celebrate MLK, PAGES set up five activity stations for guests to participate in, including assembling toiletry bags for Wayside Cross Ministries, writing cards of hope for Phil’s Friends cancer patients, writing letters to veterans, making friendship bracelets, and creating vision boards. A total of 354 toiletry bags were assembled during the event.
“We are so grateful for everyone who has come together to help support this event. We’ve had such great support from the administration here at Waubonsie Valley High School. Principal Stipp comes out every year, and he speaks to our students and really shows his support and advocacy,” said Campbell.
“We also had Dr. Geneace Williams [DEI Manager at the City of Naperville] come out. We even had our students who have performed and they really come and get into the event. So it really is one of those feel-good times where everyone can come together in unity and support one another,” said Campbell.
A service event to connect the community
Some students believe that taking part in events like the MLK Day of Service strengthens community bonds.
“I participated in this MLK event because it kind of shows how we need to do more on our history and how we can connect and communicate with other people that are like us,” said Emersun Garrett, a sophomore at Waubonsie Valley High School.
PAGES members emphasized that MLK Day is the perfect opportunity for unity and service.
“I think it’s important that we set time aside to come together as a community and one body to work on service projects because that’s what MLK represents,” said Latasha Newman, vice president of PAGES.
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