At Almond Acres Charter Academy, we grow great kids. We believe an education that addresses all aspects of a student’s life creates balanced, happy learners. In fact, our scholastic mission is to help students succeed academically and socially by educating the whole child: heart, mind, body and soul. This mission is embedded in our school DNA and informs how we grow together every school day, and even when not in school together. It truly sets us apart from other K-8 learning environments.
At Almond Acres, we grow great kids. Our middle school students are active volunteers in our community. Choosing to serve over the summer, our great kids are not given required service hours or obligatory assignments to engage in Paso Robles’s many amazing community offerings. Rather, they’re choosing to support our community during their summer break. Being good citizens is an important aspect of our AACA school model. And these middle schoolers are leading the way!
Community Service
Here’s what some of our middle schoolers, past and present, have to say, in their own words about their volunteering and community service:
“This summer I volunteered at a summer camp called Camp Good News for a week. I also have some volunteer opportunities through the Atascadero Antlers later in summer
I really enjoy seeing how much just a few hours of my time means to people.
AACA taught me the value of helping others and being part of the greater community.”
~Kenichi Parkhurst (graduate)
“During summer I have helped out with a V.B.S program at my church with kids my age. I got to help out with the second and third graders while teaching them about God.
Helping others has always inspired me to be a better person so I’ve always liked helping others because it not only warms someone else’s heart but also warms mine.
I have made many new friends through these experiences and I have also created a better bond with others I wasn’t as close to.
I think AACA has inspired me to volunteer through friends because my friends usually always have some fun things going on to join. But I think AACA has mostly inspired me to not be afraid to be myself and that every mistake is a lesson to learn and I have many of those possibilities while volunteering. “
~Mia Kosharek (8th grade)
“So far this summer, I have volunteered at a vacation bible school (VBS) as a group leader. I basically helped watch the kids as they went to their different activities throughout the day.
I also plan to volunteer at the Children’s museum this summer. I also babysit for friends of ours.
What I enjoy most about helping others is learning from the people I help. Most of the time when I help people out it includes children and I actually learn a lot from these kids because of their point of view on things.
AACA has inspired me in my volunteer work by always pushing me to be the best version of myself. It also inspired me because AACA has taught me to work hard and do the best that I can and to put first things first. I think by helping people I am practicing those important lessons I was taught.”
~Divy Emmons (graduate)
“ I love to help others and provide assistance where needed. I enjoy helping parents with their kids by babysitting because it brings me joy to hang out with younger kids. I also enjoy helping others so that they can do things that are important to them and by feeling that I impacted someone’s life positively.
Because of the Big Buddy program at Almond Acres, where older grades have a big buddy day where they get to do crafts and hangout with the younger elementary kids, I have wanted to babysit and hangout and support younger children and their families.”
~Kai Stoltzfus (8th grade)
“I’ve never done volunteer work prior to starting school at AACA, but this summer I had the opportunity to volunteer for a vacation bible school in the community. Students at AACA invited me to attend a weekly youth group and the youth group asked me to volunteer.
It was a great experience. I enjoyed seeing the kids happy after a difficult year. I would be interested in more volunteering jobs in the future. I do feel AACA helped me find friends and inspired me to get more involved more than other schools I have been to.
For example, before AACA I went to a public middle school and it was nothing like Almond Acres. When I first came here, the community was very positive. Overall, the friends I’ve made this year at AACA, changed the year for me all together and made me understand what a difference I can make by volunteering.”
~Avery Mathews (8th grade)
“What I enjoy most about helping others is the satisfaction you get when you’ve made a difference in someone’s life.
I’ve made a bunch of new friends, it’s so much fun getting to meet new people and especially becoming buddies with the kids.
AACA has taught and inspired me to be the best version of myself and to think of others before yourself.”
~Hannah Bourgault (graduate)
Find out more about Almond Acres Charter Academy, a tuition-free K-8 growing great kids, today!
About Almond Acres
Almond Acres is relocating to Paso Robles. Almond Acres Charter Academy is a public, tuition-free K-8 school that employs credentialed teachers and administers state-mandated testing to provide families in northern SLO County an additional choice in public education. Open to all students in all communities, the school is currently located in San Miguel and moving to Paso Robles for the 2021-22 school year. AACA’s mission is to help students succeed academically and socially by educating the whole child: heart, mind, body and soul. We grow great kids!
