Hour of Service: December 2025

This December, the Oakwood School community came together for our annual Hour of Service, a schoolwide initiative that invites students, faculty, and families to support local organizations serving children and families across Northern Virginia.

Student Leadership at the Center

The project was led by Oakwood’s Student Council Association (SCA) Service Committee, whose members introduced the initiative through student-created posters and messages shared with the community.

Each winter, the Service Committee selects community partners that reflect Oakwood’s values of empathy, service, and responsibility. Students chose to support Food for Others, a Fairfax-based nonprofit that addresses food insecurity, and The Crayon Initiative, a national organization that repurposes crayons to support children in hospitals.

Families were invited to participate by purchasing food and snack items through an Amazon Wishlist for Food for Others and by donating gently used crayons for The Crayon Initiative. All contributions were collected on campus in advance of the event.

A Schoolwide Effort with Real Impact

During the Hour of Service, Oakwood students and staff worked side by side across multiple campus spaces, rotating through different stations to participate in the three projects.

In the gym, students assembled nearly 600 Power Packs. Each bag included essential food items recommended by the organization, along with a handwritten note or card created by an Oakwood student. The Food for Others Power Pack program sends weekend backpack meals home with students who attend local Fairfax County schools. 

In the multipurpose room, students sorted, packaged, and prepared donated crayons for shipment to The Crayon Initiative, where they will be recycled and distributed to pediatric hospitals across the country, bringing comfort and creativity to children receiving medical care.

In the art room, students created and colored cards to distribute to the residents at August Healthcare at Leewood, Oakwood's neighbor. 

Why This Matters

The Hour of Service is one of the many ways Oakwood integrates character education, leadership, and community engagement into the school experience. Through hands-on service projects, students learn that small actions, when done together, can have a meaningful impact both locally and beyond.

Stay Connected

If you’d like to support Oakwood’s mission or learn more about how our students engage in service and leadership throughout the year, we invite you to explore more on our website. Learn more about student leadership groups and other school-wide community activities on our School Life page. 

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