Eagles With A Purpose gives students in grades 9-12 the opportunity to gain a better understanding of social justice, participate in community engagement, realize individual and collective agency in meeting the needs of others, advocate for social justice, and engage in reflection. The program allows students the opportunity to explore their passions through hands-on activities that utilizes their abilities for the benefit of the community at large. Stanford University professor William Damon, author of The Path to Purpose, defines purpose as “a stable and generalized intention to accomplish something that is at the same time meaningful to the self and consequential for the world beyond self.”  In other words, purpose happens when students develop a meaningful connection to someone or something outside of themselves—and they do something about it.

EWAP is worth .5 credit and meets during the school day during two X Blocks each week. In the first and second year students visit non-profits, do research on community issues, participate in team-building activities, participate in the fall passion interviews, participate in the volunteer fair, create a project in the spring for the community, and showcase their work at the EWAP showcase day in May.

In year three, students will help plan the passion interviews and the volunteer fair held for all students at ICS. Students will also help plan a Kindness Day and teach a lesson of their choice in EWAP.  In addition, students will identify an organization that they would like to work with as an independent project.

If you would like to learn more about EWAP, please contact Lindsey Seynhaeve for more information. You can also watch this 3 minute video to learn more.