From picking up trash along Peake Road to serving meals to the homeless, all four grades in Stratford’s upper school performed community service as part of this year’s class retreats.

The retreats, held on Thursday, Nov. 7, took Stratford upper schoolers all over Macon.

“Adding community service to all the retreats this year is important because it’s a day where all the high school students are giving back,” said Ms. Maddie Henderson, the upper school’s community service coordinator.

Although the sophomores traditionally perform community service as part of Elam Alexander field day – and the juniors began doing service in downtown Macon last year – this was the first time the freshmen and seniors included service in their retreats.

The freshmen spent the first half of their day downtown at the Woodruff House, or as most Stratford student’s know it by,“Old Stratford.”

“It’s known as Stratford Immersion Day, and it’s important for the students to see the history of the school,” Upper School Assistant Principal Mr. Chance Reynolds said.

After learning about Stratford’s early years, the freshmen helped sweep up the streets of downtown Macon with the Keep Macon Beautiful organization.

The sophomores assisted with the Elam Alexander field day, then played games and activities together as a class later in the afternoon.

The juniors’ day also spent their day downtown. The students pitched in community service efforts with five different outreach organizations – including playing games with seniors at Blair House, serving lunch to the homeless at Mulberry Methodist Church, and assembling hygiene kits at Loaves and Fishes.

After eating lunch downtown, the students headed to the Cox Capitol Theatre where they, “took fun classes such as shag dancing and making holiday cards and playing chess,” according to Reynolds.

The senior class retreat consisted of the traditional senior picnic at Fickling Farms after the inaugural “Peake Road Pick-up,” in which the Class of 2014 spent the morning picking up trash along the street.

“It’s a fun day where all the classes can come together as a group where you’re not in the classroom all the time. I think it’s important that you get to know your teachers as well, without it always being in the classroom. You get to see them as people and it helps build relationships,” Reynolds said.