On Saturday, Jan. 17, the hallways and many of the classrooms of Dogan Elementary were filled with UHD students, staff, and faculty—all volunteering as part of GatorServe for the MLK National Day of Service, marking the 10th anniversary of GatorServe’s community outreach.
This GatorServe event was important not only in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s contributions to American society but also for providing a real service to Dogan Elementary, our partner school as part of HISD’s Houston Promise program. Dozens of volunteers cleaned classrooms and organized closets in support of Dogan’s teachers and students.
Before those present and local television news reporters, President Blanchard welcomed the volunteer group, remarking that Gators serve the community not only on National Days of Service (9/11 and MLK Day), but every day. He also reiterated the culture of care that UHD is renowned for as well as our involvement in the Houston Promise program.
The big surprise of the day was not UHD volunteers rolling up their sleeves and working to help others, but the event’s organizer—Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning Associate Director Gabriel Durham—who delivered a flawless acapella rendition of the National Anthem. Those present gave him a huge round of applause before heading to classrooms with cleaning supplies in hand.
Be on the lookout for future opportunities to volunteer at Dogan Elementary in support of creating the best learning environment possible for its students.