The Hockaday School Launches Institute for Social Impact

The Hockaday School Launches Institute for Social Impact

11/5/18—The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas, recently launched the Institute for Social Impact, an expansion of the school’s service learning program designed to empower students with the essential tools and life experiences necessary to lead lives of purpose and positive influence.

The Institute will allow students to engage with diverse partners, learn from civic leaders, and tackle projects to make a direct impact on the organizations and the people in the surrounding community. Based on the four pillars of Service Learning, Community Service, Community Engagement, and Social Entrepreneurship, the multi-faceted Institute will expand the experiential and real-world learning opportunities for students through new and existing partnerships with fellow schools, non-profit organizations, local businesses, and other community groups.

Students will be able to explore the intersection of community engagement and problem solving through projects ranging from “Developing Solutions to Water Issues Impacting Dallas” at a local farm to “Increasing STARR Results through Fine Arts Partnering ” at neighboring schools to “Solving Environmental Issues through Strategy” at the Dallas Zoo. These carefully designed projects and experiences will provide Hockaday students opportunities to test what they are learning in the classroom, tackle tough problems, learn to work in teams, cultivate empathy and respect for others with different backgrounds and expertise, build character and confidence, and explore their purpose in the world.

A recent alumna reflected the institute, “Prepared me to lead a life of purpose and impact. It’s more than just making the grade. …I want to help share my knowledge with others and make the world a better place. Girls are really going out there and doing amazing things with what they know.”

Related Article: “Girls’ Schools: Reducing Polarization by Increasing Civic Engagement”