A new service activity initiated by the junior class at King’s Academy has given a local school for underprivileged children a major facelift. In a true act of community service, the entire King’s Academy community worked together to raise money and renovate the Erenbeh Elementary School in Al Jiza. In addition to the 11^th grade class, led by Class Dean Maram Haddad, dozens of faculty and staff volunteered their time and skills including members of the finance department, facilities and grounds department, and bus drivers.

The juniors began with a fundraising activity at the Student Union that raised 498 JD through direct donations and the sale of t-shirts. Students also worked together on a large painting to gift to Erenbeh School. 

After visiting the public school to assess its needs, King’s discovered that major renovations including plumbing, electricity, painting and carpentry — at a cost of 2,500 JD — were needed to fix-up a rundown auxiliary building used by 150 students who had been moved out of the main school building due to overcrowding. King’s Office of Student Life donated 1,000 JD and hired an external contractor to begin the overhaul of the building’s electrics and plumbing, joined by volunteers from King’s maintenance team. After spending a couple of days laying the groundwork for the renovations, tens of 11^th graders, faculty and staff spent an additional day completing internal and external renovations including sanding and painting desks and walls in seven classrooms, among many other tasks. King’s also donated used furniture such as desks, cupboards, fans and art supplies.

Fanar Al Derzi ’21 and Ahmad Younis ’21 then took the initiative of organizing a charity festival, King’s Fest, to raise the remaining funds needed for the school renovation. Hundreds of people, including orphaned children invited through Al Aqsa Association, King’s students, faculty, their families and friends enjoyed games, sports, art activities, musical performances, a bazaar and other activities at the fun community event on October 19. King’s Fest succeeded in raising over 1,500 JD to cover the remaining costs of the Erenbeh School renovations.

What started as a junior service initiative proved to be an exercise in teamwork and community building within and beyond the King’s community that will continue with King’s providing additional educational workshops and organizing fundraising activities in the coming months to further support the students, faculty and facilities of Erenbeh School and other public schools in need.