In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, on Monday, January 19, 2026, more than 600 Hill School students, faculty, and staff participated in a large-scale MLK Day of Service, supporting more than 15 community organizations and service sites throughout Pottstown and neighboring communities. We are grateful to the Hobart's Run staff and to Dean of Equity and Inclusion Eric Khong for their efforts in planning this day. Scroll down to view additional photos.

Service projects spanned a wide range of needs, from food security and senior support to environmental stewardship, education, health, and economic development. Students worked in teams across multiple locations, contributing thousands of service hours in a single day.

"Hill students were called to move from reflection to action," remarked Alyssa Slade, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Economic Development for Hobart's Run.

"Through engagement in projects across the Pottstown region, students had the opportunity to practice empathy and civic engagement in tangible ways, in partnership with Pottstown organizations. Designed around real, identified needs, this work supported the amazing and ongoing efforts already happening in Pottstown, while helping students understand service not just as 'showing up' but as listening and contributing to the long-term well-being of the community."

At food pantries, soup kitchens, and community hubs, volunteers prepared meals and sandwiches, stocked outdoor food fridges, organized clothing closets, and supported daily meal service. At the YWCA and YMCA, students assembled more than 1,000 overdose prevention kits, prepared period product kits, sorted donations, supported soup kitchen operations, and assisted with youth and family programming.

Several projects focused on intergenerational engagement, with students visiting senior living communities to assist residents with activities, games, and room visits. Additional students wrote letters to healthcare workers at Tower Health Pottstown Hospital. 

Educational and creative projects included developing STEM kits for children at the Pottstown Children’s Discovery Center, organizing public library materials, and preparing murals at the Rickett’s Center. Environmental service teams worked at farms, learning centers, helping with greenhouse preparation, garden bed maintenance, and seasonal site organization.

Several projects took place on Hill’s campus to support the broader community, including meal preparation for local partners, cat and dog toy-making for regional animal shelters, and rotating service stations that supported multiple nonprofit needs. Additionally, Hill's basketball teams hosted their annual youth basketball clinic, and a group of students also shoveled sidewalks for our neighbors.

The MLK Day of Service reflects Hill’s commitment to active citizenship and hands-on learning, while strengthening long-standing relationships throughout the Pottstown region.

Full list of organizations: Rickett's Center, Keystone Villa, Pottstown Regional Public Library, Mission First, YWCA / YMCA, Bethel Community Church, Be ReZilient, Pottstown Children's Discovery Center, Trellis for Tomorrow, Manatawny Manor, Liberty Ministries Thrift, Edgewood Historic Cemetery, The Carousel at Pottstown, Rock Hollow Woods Environmental Learning Center, Beacon of Hope, Mainline Animal Rescue, Pottstown Hospital.