News & Views
Country School Holds Virtual Sixth Annual Kyle A. Markes Day of Service
Members of the New Canaan Country School and Horizons at NCCS communities served the wide-ranging needs of more than 10 local non-profit organizations April 3 and 4. Students and their families were participating in the sixth annual Kyle A. Markes Day of Service in honor of an NCCS classmate who passed away in 2013. In a unique twist, this year volunteers performed their service virtually, online or in their own homes. View photos.
Volunteers individually made fleece blankets for babies in the NICU comforted by The Tiny Miracles Foundation (New Canaan); made sandwiches and supplied food items to restock the food pantry at New Covenant Center (Stamford); and fulfilled the online wishlists of non-profit organizations including Building One Community (Stamford), Filling In the Blanks (Norwalk), the Horizon Family Fund Emergency Fund (New Canaan), Person to Person (Norwalk), Family & Children’s Agency (Norwalk) and Inspirica (Stamford).
Members of the school community also participated in a family-friendly yoga experience. Donations collected through this virtually held exercise event will specifically support the Horizons Family Emergency Center, Family & Children’s Agency and Open Door Shelter.
On Friday, April 3, students and young alumni participated in “Markes Madness,” also held annually and which traditionally features a 3x3 basketball tournament in recognition of Kyle's great love of the sport. This year, Middle and Upper School students were able to participate without leaving home. In honor of some of the attributes and passions which defined Kyle (basketball, cheer, dance, joy, service and Country School spirit), students were asked to create pieces of art, writing, music or video around these themes. Once finished, students submitted their completed projects for inclusion in a large, celebratory “mash-up,” shared digitally within the school and Horizons community.
Proceeds from the highly creative, non-traditional event will benefit Horizons at NCCS, a program hosted at New Canaan Country School that transforms the lives of underserved children and youth in grades K-12 through year-round academic and enrichment programming to inspire learning, encourage success and close the opportunity gap.
Jackqueline McLean-Markes along with her husband, Walter Markes, thanked participants via video message: “Thank you for your continued kindness and caring for all around the world... It’s remarkable that we are able to find joy even in the midst of heartache.”
The two days of activities were organized by event co-chairs Rochelle Charnin and Lauren Ryder in coordination with the school’s Service Learning Co-Directors, Kathryn Kravec and Will McDonough, and Horizons at NCCS Family & Program Director, Nehemie Moise.
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
