Through the Community Service Program at Thacher, students carry out meaningful service that fulfills genuine needs in the local community and beyond. The program is designed to inform, inspire, and involve as many students as possible.

Students from all classes volunteer at local elementary schools, Head Start, the Humane Society, Matilija Junior High School, the Senior Day Care Center, the Braille Institute, two convalescent homes, the Ojai Public Library, and the Ojai Historical Museum. This participation moves Thacher students into the roles of tutor, helper, guide, and companion.

Weekend opportunities for volunteerism occur throughout the school year, with Ventura County’s Special Olympics, Ventura County Partners in Progress, and Habitat for Humanity. Thacher has also become a co-sponsor of the seasonal Ojai Homeless Shelter Program, providing it with food and volunteers one night a week during the winter months. Students have also been actively involved with the distribution of food through Ventura County’s Food Share Program and with regular coastal cleanups through the Adopt-A-Beach initiative.

Thacher does not require students to participate in the Community Service Program. But we try to arrange it so that every student who wants to serve can do so in a structured, meaningful, and satisfying way. We also believe that if there are enough programs, nearly every student will want to help—and indeed, about 75 percent of Thacher students perform volunteer work during the year.