Mandela is more than a school; it is a gathering place for a family committed to the education of young people. The familiar phrase, “it takes a village” could not be truer. Everyone that belongs to the Mandela community does their part to make the scholars successful. The parents/guardians in particular deserve recognition for their engagement. Families at Mandela have always been required to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours per year, but many of them go above and beyond. Despite the global pandemic, collectively, Mandela families completed a total of 6,994 hours of service.
Several families earned over 50, 75, 100 and even over 200 hours of service this last year, and it is tradition to recognize them publicly at the conclusion of the school year during Mandela Fest, which falls on Nelson Mandela’s birthday. Plans changed this year, but the families still deserve to be acknowledged. The Mandela Team would like to recognize the following families: Black, Braxton, Chapman, Humphrey, Kilgore, Kuhn, Partee, Rocco, and Stevens for contributing over 100 hours of service. The school will also be posting a video to their website and social media accounts that gives those volunteers their recognition.
Mandela also wishes to celebrate its extended family members—the community members that give their time throughout the school year. The Mandela Team is grateful to the following: George Lozier, Dee Sledge, the Campagna family, Tracy Tondl, Teresa Rainey, Pat Weddle, Stacey Lincoln, and Aloziem Okey, as well as the students of Creighton Prep, Creighton University, the College of St. Mary’s, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, and Marian High School for their service this year.