Community Service

KidSmart - Tools for Learning

At Parkside, community service holds a significant role in our culture. Every summer, interns get the opportunity to contribute back to the community by participating in a day of service. This summer, we dedicated our time to volunteering at KidSmart in Maryland Heights. KidSmart is an organization that works to provide free educational resources to underprivileged students in the St. Louis area. Their impactful work includes supplying over 160 schools with essential materials to enhance the quality of education. KidSmart’s efforts positively impact over 90,000 children who cannot afford basic school supplies. By receiving these high-quality school supplies, these children experience a boost in their self-esteem and are better equipped for a successful academic year.

As the back-to-school season approaches rapidly, KidSmart is in ample need of assistance to complete multiple projects. Specifically, on August 11th, 2023, KidSmart will distribute $1 Million of school supplies to numerous schools across St. Louis. On our day of service, we pitched in to aid the organization in preparing for this significant event. Our tasks involved relabeling boxes and packaging various school supplies, including pencils, all essential for the upcoming distribution. Contributing to such an incredible organization that helps children in need get excited and feel well-prepared for the new school year has been an immensely gratifying experience for all of us. We are excited to watch KidSmart grow in the following years as they are working hard towards their goal to support schools in the entire state of Missouri.