Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Country School to Remember Student with Kyle A. Markes Day of Service
Country School will host the Kyle A. Markes Day of Service on Saturday April 11, 2015.
Kyle Markes was a beloved sixth grader at Country School who passed away on Christmas Eve of 2013 after his 13-month battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of 11. Kyle was committed to community service and even when critically ill, he started a bracelet looming project to raise money for a family cancer support program called Mike's Way Foundation.
For months, parent committees and New Canaan Country School teams have been planning a day full of service opportunities both on and off-campus with more than 15 partner organizations, many of which were dear to Kyle and his family. Kyle was an avid basketball player and spectator; many of the service projects will serve communities and programs that promote healthy and active lifestyles through athletics, as this was an important part of Kyle’s identity. Kyle also loved the outdoors; environmental cleanups, and advocacy for green and clean spaces will also be options.
“We hope that this day will serve as catalyst for a lifetime of community engagement,” said Director of Community Development Lynn Sullivan. “It’s an important reminder for all of us to live each day of our lives with purpose – just as Kyle did.”
The New Canaan Country School Parents’ Association, in conjunction with the Office of Community Development, will sponsor the event which will bring the community together to learn about the mission of various non-profit groups and to actively participate in projects that will benefit those causes.
Raising awareness, and the number of registrants to the national bone marrow registry, will be an annual area of focus on the day. Kyle's family continues to be tremendous advocates for Delete Blood Cancer and Bethematch.org, actively registering potential bone marrow donors into the national registry.
The school is also hosting a Dunk Your Kicks athletic shoe drive, which is being organized by Kyle's friends, Country School student Shane Baldwin and Dylan Johnson. Dunk Your Kicks is a non-profit organization that uses the proceeds from the sale of gently used athletic footwear to under-resourced communities, to fund pediatric cancer research. The money earned from this drive will go toward pediatric leukemia research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, where Kyle was treated.
Additional partner organizations include: Ben's Bells, Boys & Girls Club of America (Greenwich), Boys & Girls Club of America (Stamford), Carver Foundation, Domus, Family & Children's Agency,
Inspirica, Jump for Joy, New Canaan Nature Center, Open Door Shelter, Person-to-Person, Smilow Cancer Center and Waveny Care.
A highlight of the day will be the Kyle’s Court Basketball Fundraising Tournament to raise funds for a scholarship in Kenya, identified through the book, 14 Cows for America. The Middle School was introduced to this story during the school-wide September 11 Day of Service & Remembrance last fall. The tournament will take place on Kyle’s Court, a Middle School gathering space, which was dedicated last spring. Dr. Jackque Mclean-Markes Kyle’s mother will join the community for this tournament at 2:45 p.m.
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.
