Waldorf students honor Martin Luther King Jr.

Seventh through 12th-grade Waldorf students watch a performance on MLK Day by Muslim Girls Making Change, a Burlington High School group that has gained national recognition for delivering its social justice message through outstanding slam poetry. Courtesy photo.

For the tenth year in a row, students and faculty at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School in Shelburne have devoted their Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to community service—paying respect to the man who once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”

The day began with seventh through 12th grade students watching a performance by Muslim Girls Making Change, a Burlington High School group that has gained national recognition for delivering its social justice message through outstanding slam poetry. “Their performance was so powerful and creative,” said Waldorf senior Maeve McCurdy. “Their positivity and passion really stood out to me. They gave me hope that I can make change like they are doing. They were so inspirational, and I am so grateful they came.”

After the poetry performance and an in-depth question and answer session, students delved into workshop areas of interest like “Speak Up: Collaborative Poetry” and “Self Defense and Good Bystander Behaviors.”

In the afternoon, 100 students piled into cars and vans to canvass 21 neighborhoods in Charlotte, Shelburne and South Burlington. They collected bags and bags of nonperishable food items and toiletries. “In the past we have received over 1,000 pounds of donations,” Front Office Manager Laura Slesar said. “This year we collected more donations than ever before, so we are eager for the food shelves to let us know the final count.”

Donations are sent to the Shelburne Food Shelf and the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. LCWS students, faculty and parents express their heartfelt thanks to the surrounding communities for their generous donations.