To capstone their time at Saint Columbkille Partnership School, the eighth-grade class participated in the school’s first annual 8th Grade Leadership Summit. As our mission reminds us, Saint Columbkille prepares students for lives of faith, service, and leadership, and the summit brought these values together in a meaningful and intentional way.
The program was developed with the support of the Boston College PreK-12 Formative Education Grant from the Transformative Education Lab at Boston College and took place over several months. The 8th Grade Leadership Summit provided students with hands-on opportunities to serve, reflect, and explore how they can make a difference in their communities. Throughout the summit experience, students learned from servant leaders, participated in a day of service, supported one another through a challenge course, and advocated for a nonprofit organization that aligned with a cause they felt passionate about.
“Our hope is that this gives our students a chance to see how they can impact their community,” said Ms. Tapanes. “We want them to recognize what causes they feel passionate about and hopefully inspire them to seek out service opportunities in high school.”
The summit began with a visit from Board Member and Saint Columbkille parent Dr. Jim O’Connell, founding physician and president of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.
Dr. O’Connell spoke candidly about feeling unsure of his path after college before a life-changing experience led him to pursue medicine. What he expected to be a one-year commitment serving individuals experiencing homelessness in Boston has grown into more than 40 years of dedicated service. He shared that the work has brought what he described as “unspeakable joys,” reminding students that moments of deep connection, resilience, and shared humanity can be found even in the most difficult circumstances.
Inspired by Dr. O’Connell’s message, students organized a school-wide sock drive, collecting hundreds of pairs of socks for Boston Health Care for the Homeless.
The eighth graders then participated in a day of service across the community, visiting the Allston-Brighton Food Pantry, the Oak Square YMCA, and The Campus School at Boston College.
“I enjoyed knowing that I was able to work hard and help people,” shared eighth grader Leilah.
“I liked seeing the direct impact I made when I helped someone,” added Indira.
Following their morning of service, students gathered at Saint Cecilia Parish for an afternoon retreat focused on reflection and teamwork. Centered on John 13:12–17, in which Jesus washes the feet of his disciples and calls them to serve one another, the retreat invited students to reflect on how their service experiences echoed this call to humble leadership.
Another highlight of the summit was Project Adventure, a team-building program that uses physical challenges and rope courses to build collaboration and trust. As students worked together to navigate each activity, they practiced communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills. The experience provided a fun and memorable way for students to support one another while growing as a team.
The inaugural 8th Grade Leadership Summit concluded with student presentations advocating for nonprofit organizations they believed should receive the school’s Spirit Day donations. Students spent class time exploring their passions and researching global, national, and local organizations that support their cause. They chose one organization to research in depth and experimented with how to appeal to their audience through public speaking techniques. After their hard work and preparation, students shared compelling cases for causes close to their hearts with STCPS staff members.
Lucy’s project on 17 Healers, a Cambridge-based organization that provides mental health services to those in need, was selected as the Spirit Day cause for May 29th. The school was proud to support this local organization with an important mission.
It is clear that the inaugural 8th Grade Leadership Summit has had a meaningful impact on students. As they prepare to graduate from Saint Columbkille, we hope they continue to seek opportunities to serve others, lead with compassion, and discover many “unspeakable joys” along the way.