Community Service

Nearly 70 percent of Thacher students volunteer through our Community Service Program, working on projects that fulfill genuine needs in our local community.

The program aims to provide as many students as possible with structured, meaningful opportunities to engage with and give back to the community and to build compassion and empathy. With the exception of the required biannual Community Service Day, all of Thachers participation in community service opportunities is purely voluntary because we believe that involvement in the community should be built on individual passion, drive, and authentic engagement. 

List of 4 items.

  • Weekday & Weeknight Opportunities

    Every term, interested students have the opportunity to make a trimester-long volunteer commitment to a program of their choosing in the local Ojai Community, offering the chance to make strong, sustained connections. During free periods in their school day schedule or spare time in the evenings, students head off campus to give back through a variety of programs, including: 

    Tutoring local elementary school students
; lending a hand at sustainable Earthtrine Farm and Poco Farm
; singing to or conversing with senior living facilities residents; helping out at a center for toddlers with special needs
; and serving food to individuals and families in need through the seasonal Ojai Homeless Shelter Program. 
  • Weekend Opportunities

    Volunteer opportunities are made available on many weekends throughout the year, from one-off projects to ongoing partnerships that students can show up for again and again. Recent opportunities have included:

    Participating in trail, creek, and beach cleanups
; supporting/encouraging AYSO VIP program soccer players with special needs; helping out local athletes in the Special Olympics program
; introducing kids with special needs to watersports with Best Day Foundation
; and lending a hand at local community events throughout the year
.
  • Afternoon Program

    Seniors may opt during the fall season to participate in community service during the required Afternoon Program. Students in this program spend their afternoons working on a variety of projects, including:

    Tutoring younger students after school at the Ojai Public Library
; one-on-one tutoring at underserved schools through Project Understanding
; and doing daily work at local sustainable farms
.
  • Community Service Day

    Every year Thacher partners with organizations throughout Ojai and Ventura County for Community Service Day, which offers students and faculty members alike the chance to spend a day giving back. And every other year, classes are officially canceled so that every single member of the Thacher community can participate. Recent projects have included:

    Beach clean-ups
; helping out with community gardens
; offering tech help to older citizens at the Ojai Public Library;
 lending a hand at California Horse Rescue
; and working with REINS of Hope, an equine therapy organization.

—Ethan

“Thacher offers so many opportunities for community service—any student can definitely find a program that interests them. The School also makes volunteering really convenient, providing transportation whenever the student has availability. My favorite part of the program is that its a really good way to get out of the campus bubble and meet new people in the Ojai Valley community.”

Vienna, Virginia

Notice of nondiscriminatory policy as to students: The Thacher School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other School-administered programs.