
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District students work on community projects on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s actions and words continue to inspire us, reminding us of his enduring challenge: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
On Monday, January 20, students, families and staff of UCFSD’s four elementary schools— Chadds Ford, Hillendale, Pocopson, and Unionville came together at Hillendale to take part in the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service, a day dedicated to honoring Dr. King’s legacy through volunteerism.
The event was a natural extension of UCFSD’s Kindness Matters Campaign, which encourages the recognition and active practice of kindness. Through classroom discussions, school-wide initiatives, and community involvement, the campaign invites everyone to celebrate acts of kindness, big and small, and recognize the value of building character alongside academic success. By bringing this message to life, the Day of Service highlighted the power of collective kindness in action.
Last year, Hillendale and Pocopson united for the first time for this event. This year, all four UCFSD elementary schools participated. The idea for this combined day of service originated with Chelsea Wirth, a Hillendale Elementary parent and member of the UCFSD Kindness Committee. The vision was to bring students and families together to make a greater impact and foster a spirit of community and compassion, reinforcing the message of the Kindness Matters Campaign.
The four schools joined forces to learn, create, and donate their time and effort in support of nine local organizations. The benefiting charities included CASA Youth Advocates, KACS, Meals on Wheels of Chester County, and Nemours Children’s Hospital. Others included PAWS for People, Pocopson Home, Ronald McDonald House of Philadelphia, STEHM-Martha House, and Youngmoms. Representatives of each organization were on site, and volunteers had the opportunity to learn about how they make our communities better. Below are the estimated numbers for the donated items created at the event:
- 87 decorated duffle bags for CASA
- 69 birthday boxes for KACS
- 100 snack boxes for Meals on Wheels
- 60 bookmarks and 40 cards for Nemours
- 285 kindness clips for PAWS for People
- 40 memory books for Pocopson Home
- 29 blankets for the Ronald McDonald House
- 56 inspirational signs for STEHM-Martha House
- 155 decorated onesies and toddler shirts for YoungMoms
“The MLK Day of Service, beautifully organized by Ms. Wirth and our four elementary PTOs, exemplifies what makes our elementary school community so special,” UCFSD Superintendent Dr. John Sanville shared. “When we teach our children that kindness matters and show them how to put that kindness into action through community service, we’re not just honoring Dr. King’s legacy—we’re helping shape the kind of caring, engaged citizens our world needs. I’m deeply grateful to Ms. Wirth and all our volunteers for creating these meaningful opportunities for our youngest learners to experience the joy of serving others.”
The hope is that this Day of Service collaboration will continue as an annual tradition and inspire students to continue serving others and embodying the values outlined in UCFSD’s Portrait of a Graduate. By working together to honor Dr. King’s legacy, the event not only demonstrated the impact of kindness but also fostered a sense of unity and purpose among all involved.