Is community service required?

Yep—but not in a boring, “just get it over with” kind of way. At Georgetown Day School, community service is part of the high school experience like frosting is part of cake. It’s baked right in and makes everything better. Students aren’t just logging hours to meet a number. They’re picking causes they care about, getting their hands dirty, and actually making a difference. Sixty hours is the minimum, sure, but the real goal is to learn how to show up, follow through, and care about something bigger than yourself. Whether you’re reading to kids, planting veggies, or helping out at a clinic, you’re growing into someone who knows how to change the world. Not too shabby.

How early do students start community engagement at GDS?

As soon as they’ve mastered snack time and story circles. Seriously though, Georgetown Day School doesn’t wait around. Community engagement kicks off early and grows right alongside your kid. Even the littlest learners get in on the action with projects that spark empathy, build responsibility, and get them thinking about the world beyond the classroom. By the time they’re in middle school, they’re out exploring DC, getting their hands dirty on urban farms, and tackling real-world issues like pros. It’s all part of a thoughtful, age-appropriate progression that turns curiosity into action. So if you’re wondering when GDS starts growing changemakers, the answer is: pretty much right away.

Can students create their own community projects?

They totally can. In fact, some of the most impactful programs at GDS started with a student and a big idea. Take the Summit on Sexual Assault and Consent, for example. That didn’t come from a staff meeting with coffee and clipboards. It grew out of student-led conversations and a push to create real space for honest dialogue about consent, equity, and safety. Now it’s a full national event with students, educators, advocates, and policymakers all in the room. So yes, if a student has an idea that’s thoughtful, community-focused, and a little bold, GDS is all in. Whether it’s a local clean-up or a citywide initiative, students are encouraged to take the lead.

What makes community engagement different at GDS?

At GDS, community engagement isn’t a box to tick. It’s more like a lifelong road trip that starts in Pre-K and picks up speed every year. Students don’t just volunteer. They ask big questions, meet people outside their usual circles, and explore what justice and equity look like in real life. The focus isn’t just on doing good. It’s on understanding why the work matters. From planting gardens to tackling complex social issues, students learn to think critically, act compassionately, and reflect on their role in the world. GDS isn’t just raising helpers. It’s raising curious, thoughtful changemakers who know how to step up and stick with it.

Community at Georgetown Day School

Most schools talk about community like it’s a side dish—nice to have, but not the main course. Georgetown Day School? It serves it up as the entrée. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a school puts relationships, service, and real-world learning at the center of the student experience, GDS is your answer. This place isn’t just about getting kids into college. It’s about growing thoughtful, curious, engaged humans who care deeply about the world around them.

From the first day of Pre-K to the final semester of senior year, students at Georgetown Day School are steeped in a culture of purpose and connection. Whether they’re exploring Washington, DC’s neighborhoods, digging in the campus greenhouse, or standing up for social justice at national summits, GDS kids are not just studying the world. They’re out there making it better.

What Is the CEEL Curriculum?

CEEL stands for Community Engagement and Experiential Learning, and no, it’s not just a fancy acronym to throw around at dinner parties. It’s the beating heart of GDS’s commitment to hands-on learning and civic responsibility. Through CEEL, students dive deep into issues like environmental justice, healthcare access, and social inequality—then go out and do something about them.

Think of CEEL as a mashup of service learning, social studies, and “let’s get out of the classroom and meet real people.” It pushes students to reflect on their place in the world, understand inequities, and take informed action. Not someday. Now.

GDS Community Engagement Programs

GDS isn’t messing around when it comes to community programs. They’re not a checkbox on a report card. They’re living, breathing experiences baked right into the school year.

Fifth graders start with Green Corps, where they get their hands dirty in hydroponic gardens and learn about food justice. Sixth graders take on the District Corps, touring all eight wards of DC to understand the city’s rich history and complex present. By seventh grade, students join the Care Corps, blending activism with self-care by volunteering at health organizations and spending time in nature. Eighth grade brings the Citizen Corps, where students research pressing national issues and mobilize the school community for change.

And it doesn’t stop in middle school. High schoolers complete 60 hours of community service, explore their passions during Minimesters, and even land real internships that prep them for the adult world. There’s a Buddy Program where older students mentor the younger ones, and a national summit on sexual assault and consent where students become leaders in conversations that matter.

These aren’t one-off events. They’re the rhythm of life at GDS.

The GDS Approach: Community Engagement as Essential Learning

Georgetown Day School doesn’t just talk about making a difference. It builds the blueprint and hands students the tools. The result? Confident, capable kids who see challenges and ask, “How can I help?” If you’re looking for a school that sees community not as an add-on, but as the very foundation of learning—well, you’ve found it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is community service required?
Yep—but not in a boring, “just get it over with” kind of way. At Georgetown Day School, community service is part of the high school experience like frosting is part of cake. It’s baked right in and makes everything better. Students aren’t just logging hours to meet a number. They’re picking causes they care about, getting their hands dirty, and actually making a difference. Sixty hours is the minimum, sure, but the real goal is to learn how to show up, follow through, and care about something bigger than yourself. Whether you’re reading to kids, planting veggies, or helping out at a clinic, you’re growing into someone who knows how to change the world. Not too shabby.
How early do students start community engagement at GDS?
As soon as they’ve mastered snack time and story circles. Seriously though, Georgetown Day School doesn’t wait around. Community engagement kicks off early and grows right alongside your kid. Even the littlest learners get in on the action with projects that spark empathy, build responsibility, and get them thinking about the world beyond the classroom. By the time they’re in middle school, they’re out exploring DC, getting their hands dirty on urban farms, and tackling real-world issues like pros. It’s all part of a thoughtful, age-appropriate progression that turns curiosity into action. So if you’re wondering when GDS starts growing changemakers, the answer is: pretty much right away.
Can students create their own community projects?
They totally can. In fact, some of the most impactful programs at GDS started with a student and a big idea. Take the Summit on Sexual Assault and Consent, for example. That didn’t come from a staff meeting with coffee and clipboards. It grew out of student-led conversations and a push to create real space for honest dialogue about consent, equity, and safety. Now it’s a full national event with students, educators, advocates, and policymakers all in the room. So yes, if a student has an idea that’s thoughtful, community-focused, and a little bold, GDS is all in. Whether it’s a local clean-up or a citywide initiative, students are encouraged to take the lead.
What makes community engagement different at GDS?
At GDS, community engagement isn’t a box to tick. It’s more like a lifelong road trip that starts in Pre-K and picks up speed every year. Students don’t just volunteer. They ask big questions, meet people outside their usual circles, and explore what justice and equity look like in real life. The focus isn’t just on doing good. It’s on understanding why the work matters. From planting gardens to tackling complex social issues, students learn to think critically, act compassionately, and reflect on their role in the world. GDS isn’t just raising helpers. It’s raising curious, thoughtful changemakers who know how to step up and stick with it.