“Bobcats Serve Day” Beautifies Carol City Middle School

During St. Thomas University’s second annual “Bobcats Serve Community Engagement Day” more than 130 first-year students came together to lend a helping hand to the students of Carol City Middle School (CCMS), a local, at-risk public school.

The event, coordinated by the university’s Center the Community Engagement and Student Affairs, was part of the university’s orientation program titled “The St. Thomas Experience.” With the goal of enhancing the learning environment of the CCMS students, upper-class students led first-year students, alongside CCMS staff, on a school-wide beautification effort.

Fueled by research proving that pleasant, well-kept environments enhance student achievement, self-esteem and school and community pride, STU students created outdoor study spaces by building picnic tables, repainting outdoor areas, and distributing mulch around the school’s campus.

This event is part of the broader STU/CCMS Community Educational Partnership, a partnership which leverages multiple levels of university research, teaching, and volunteer resources into CCMS student success.
The students involved received a warm welcome from STU President Rev. Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale; Provost Dr. Irma Becerra, and the Mayor of Miami Gardens, the Hon. Oliver G. Gilbert III.

“At St. Thomas University you not only receive a great, well-rounded education, but you learn how to do great things in the world,” said Dr. Becerra. “That’s what ‘Bobcats Serve Day’ is about – taking the first step toward becoming a leader that changes the world, a true leader for life.”

For more information on STU’s collaborative projects in Miami Gardens, visit www.stu.edu/cce, or contact the Center for Community Engagement: cce@stu.edu; 305-628-6717.