MLK Day of Service: A Day On, Not Off

Matteo Busterna

2.5.20

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In 1994, Bill Clinton signed into law the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. The legislation challenges Americans to transform the holiday into a day of volunteer service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Ever since that decision, “A day on, not off” has been synonymous with MLK Day. The Black Student Union (BSU) of STEM and WEST wanted to celebrate the day with a joint service day by taking the opportunity to engage the community of each school and enrich Downingtown as a whole. Although our plans were derailed slightly because of the STEM building being inaccessible due to construction, we did not let it stop us! We knew the day must go on. We relocated the event a very far distance away, a two-minute walk to WEST High School.

On a day of no school, approximately 100 students wanted to give back to their community and celebrate Dr. King by not studying for midterms or sleeping in, but coming to school. Together we completed community service and activities to celebrate civil rights. The day began with students viewing a presentation about the life of Martin Luther King Jr, from his early start in college at age fifteen through to him becoming a Nobel Peace Prize winner for his leadership. Student leaders ushered participants to stations of community service and civil rights work. Students then had the opportunity to write thoughtful, endearing letters to veterans. In total we wrote over fifty long letters, thanking veterans as well as our local first responders for their service. For an activity to celebrate civil rights, STEM and WEST Art Clubs and National Honor Societies joined together to create two, beautiful, detailed murals (one of which you can view in the knoco). Many other activities engage and help the community, like revitalizing public space and decorating walls to display and honor the life and legacy of MLK.

The service day wasn’t only for students, but teachers, staff and their children as well. Teachers and staff from all three Downingtown high schools brought their children to enjoy activities such as reading cultural children's books and decorating cookies for everyone to enjoy. At the end of the service day, students came together in a round table like fashion and discussed the importance of racial equality and togetherness. We did this because at the end of the day it is not only the hard work we put forth but recognizing the benefits for the community and today’s society that come from enacting the uplifting principles that MLK preached. The day concluded with everyone holding signs and posters created by the children to walk around the school and mimic the peaceful marches similar to those led by Martin Luther King Jr. himself. 

Thank you to all who showed up! Both STEM and WEST’s Black Student Unions put a lot of energy and time into making the day a success. See you all and many more next year for a “day on, not off.” 

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(Credit for Photography: West-20, Muhil Vaseekaran)