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October Service Day
 Olney firmly believes that service builds community, provides learning opportunities as well as opportunities to give back, helps students feel more self-reliant, and prepares them for the job world. In a spiritual sense, service is a vehicle for spreading and creating joy and light. It gives students windows into other realities and helps them better understand first-hand issues of justice. Putting this to practice, in late October Olney students, faculty and staff spent a day in the greater community providing service at a wide variety of locations. Helping hands were lent across our region and put to many uses!
The types of work from group to group varied greatly! Some spent the day outside clearing paths and picnic areas at Raven's Rocks, Barnesville Memorial Park, and the Buckeye Trail. Other groups pitched in at nearby Social Service agencies.
 The Salvation Army and Tri-County Women's Shelter were in awe at how much the Olney teams accomplished. Other groups cared for stray puppies at the Belmont County Animal Shelter or lifted the spirits of elders at the Health Center joining them in games of scrabble and balloon volleyball.
The day also included educational outreach. Olney students from Rwanda , China, Ecuador, Bulgaria, Korea and Vietnam gave presentations as part of Union Local Middle School's United Nations program. Sharing their art, traditions and experiences engaged local students in relating to and appreciating cultural differences and similarities around the world.
This service day, as all are, was highly enjoyable for all the students, faculty and staff. Everyone enjoyed the feeling of fulfillment after a day of hard work for good causes and we certainly look forward to the next one! Reflecting on the service day, Yong-wook Yoon, second-year senior from Korea wrote:
"The whole purpose of education is being a better human for one's self and also society. Which means the purpose of education is not only to put information or knowledge to a students' brain but also to teach them to be a heart-full person. Teach them how to associate with others and help them without asking for financial benefit. And when every student becomes a knowledge-full person who can have warm and heart-full mind, we can say the purpose of education is finally fulfilled."
Of course, we agree!
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