Living Dr. King’s Vision of Beloved Community at Charles River School

Each January, CRS students mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day with meaningful activities that honor Dr. King’s vision of beloved community, tying directly to our mission of preparing and inspiring students to shape the future with confidence and compassion.

This year, our MLK Day of Action was a community-wide effort, with all students working together to support three local nonprofit organizations and community partners of CRS. We held two collection drives, and received donations from many CRS families, for Cocotree Kids and the Needham Service Council food pantry, collecting items specifically identified as needed by each organization.

We began the day with an all-school assembly led by our Assistant Head of School for Teaching, Learning, and Equity, Dorothy Gregoire—and then students got to work!

PreK–Grade 3 partnered with the Needham Community Council, learning about food insecurity and helping to sort and pack high-demand condiments, including ketchup, mustard, tomato sauce, and salad dressing. These items support the Council’s efforts to serve more than 400 local residents each month. Students also wrote and drew their ideas of actions we can take to make the world a better place.
Grades 4–5 worked with Cocotree Kids, sorting and thoughtfully packing underwear kits for at-risk youth across Massachusetts. In the past five years, Cocotree Kids has served 67,655 local children and we are thrilled to continue partnering with them. Students asked thoughtful questions about the mission of the organization to members of the Cocotree Kids team and packed and packaged underwear with care.
Grades 6–8 framed their work around Dr. King’s question, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Students explored how action can take many forms while learning about the New England Innocence Project from faculty who visited the organization earlier this year. They heard personal stories of individuals who were wrongfully convicted and engaged in small-group discussions to deepen their understanding of flaws within the legal justice system.

Together, our students honored Dr. King’s legacy by serving others, strengthening community connections, and learning that meaningful change begins with thoughtful action.