Odyssey Day: Epiphany Students Taking Over New Bern

Posted 01-02-2018

When the first bell rang on August 24, students at Epiphany eagerly headed to the performing arts center (PAC) to see where their day was going to take them and how they were going to serve their community. After prayer and a brief devotional with Rev. Ed Koffenberger (Director of Spiritual Life), the students grabbed their supplies and headed out the doors.

Service is one of the four key principles of our curriculum (Respect, Responsibility, Service and Integrity). For the last nine years, Epiphany has used Odyssey Days as an opportunity to reach out to our community as a day of service. Each year we put down the pencils and pick up the needs of those in our community.

Between buses, vans, carpools and walking, the students hit the streets of New Bern ready to lend a helping hand. "We are very grateful that we get the chance to serve our community," says Brittany Spear, Director of Advancement. "We are out there, hands on, doing stuff to help those in our community and we are just so proud of our students."

Epiphany works with multiple agencies on Odyssey Day to ensure that our impact is felt throughout New Bern. From cooking food at a local shelter to raking leaves at Tryon Palace to helping Habitat for Humanity make the finishing touches on a house, the Falcons spread their wings, reaching out wherever they were needed without hesitation. "This is my 7th year doing Odyssey Day, and I think what I like most about it is being able to see the smiles on peoples' faces," said Abby Skladan, Epiphany junior.

Here at Epiphany, we pride ourselves on our students' willingness to serve their community. We enjoy taking a day away from our regular routine to help those in need. Not only are we strengthening relationships within our community, but we are also teaching our students to be better people both inside and outside the classroom.