Student Life

Service

At the heart of Christian leadership is service. At Oakcrest we want our students to see service as a way of life. Our service program helps girls recognize the beauty of self-gift and the many ways they can step up to be servant-leaders. Each service component at Oakcrest encourages our girls to serve in ways that are best suited to their gifts and personal circumstances.

Middle School Service

Middle School girls are required to provide a minimum of 15 hours of service each year to their families, friends and/or neighbors. Since “charity begins at home” and because Middle School students must depend on their parents for transportation, the sixth through eighth-grade service focuses on generosity at home. A maximum of 5 of the 15 hours required may also be fulfilled by serving their community at large.

Upper School Service

Upper School girls are required to provide a minimum of 20 hours of service in grade 9 and a minimum of 25 hours in grades 10 through 12. With increased maturity and age, Upper School students are encouraged to turn outside of their homes to complete at least 5 hours in service to the poor and needy, and up to 10 hours serving the greater community. Upper School students should also complete at least 10 hours of service for their immediate and extended families.

All-School Service Day

On the last day of Fall Spirit Week, the entire school participates in projects that serve the surrounding community. Students either do service projects on campus or volunteer at charitable organizations in the Northern Virginia/DC area.

Service Initiatives Program (SIP)

The Service Initiatives Program is comprised of thirteen student service coordinators who organize and manage eleven different monthly service projects. Since participation in SIP is voluntary, members take part in its service activities outside of school hours.

SIP helps student volunteers realize that service done locally is just as valid as the services offered by large companies and worldwide programs. SIP underscores the idea that our girls can make a difference in their local communities. We believe that small acts of service create the bridges of charity that sustain the common good.

2019 Summer Mission Trip

Oakcrest partners with Mustard Seed Communities, a Catholic organization that provides residential care for children and adults with a range of developmental and physical disabilities. Students and faculty travel to Jamaica for a week in August to spend time with residents and help with manual labor.