By Emma Longwell, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
The Day of Service is part of Forest Lake Academy’s broader educational philosophy that encourages students to live lives of service. The initiative is based on the school’s “2035 Principle of Service,” which emphasizes the value of giving back to others and aligns with Acts 20:35, teaching that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Forest Lake Academy students were recognized at the Apopka City Council meeting on Wednesday, April 2nd, for their contributions to the school’s annual Day of Service. Over 50 students participated in a series of community service projects throughout Apopka, helping to improve local spaces and provide support to organizations.
Related: The Apopka Youth Council: Making a difference in the community.
Students worked on several projects, including painting buildings and cleaning up gardens. One of the most recent efforts was at David Lodge, where students painted the building and cleared weeds around the fence lines. Despite encountering a honeybee nest during the process, the students and chaperones successfully completed the majority of the tasks, with just one remaining area left to finish.
Pastor Andrew Moreno, who spoke at the meeting, explained the core purpose behind the Day of Service, saying, “Really what it is is to encourage our students to live a life of service, not just at school but beyond.”
Isabella Fernandez, a senior at Forest Lake Academy, shared her thoughts on the Day of Service, saying,
“One of the things I love most about it is Day of Caring, a day dedicated to stepping outside of our daily routines and giving back to our community.”
Another student, Lexi Bernard, reflected on how community service had impacted her personal growth and academic success.
“High school community service not only impacted my personal growth but also helped me as a student. Volunteering taught me time management and how to balance my academic responsibilities with going out and giving back to the community. It also boosted my problem-solving skills and the ability to work with other diverse groups that I had not worked with before and helped enhance my collaboration and communication in my classroom setting. The sense of accomplishment I gained from helping others motivated me to stay focused on my studies, and the experience I had volunteering often inspired projects and other ideas for school assignments. So, I am very grateful that I have been able to volunteer, especially in the city of Apopka, throughout high school.”
Eddie Hughley, representing Davis Lodge, also expressed gratitude for the students’ contributions.
“I just want to take a moment to thank Mayor Nelson and Forest Lake Academy for coming out, painting our building, and planting our garden.”
In addition to participating in the Day of Service, many students are involved in the Senior Servant Leadership Program and the Apopka Youth Council.
Davis Lodge continues its community outreach efforts with upcoming events. On April 26th, it will host a Freshwater Fish Fry Fundraiser beginning at 11 am, welcoming all to participate. Then, on May 17th at 11 am, Davis Lodge will provide the community with free hamburgers, hot dogs, snow cones for kids, and various other activities for the whole family.
Photos by Isabel LeCompte (@isasbel.lecompte), interning photographer for The Apopka Voice.
