Community Service

We believe in creating not only better students, but better community members.

Camelback Desert School’s mission and core values ask students to take their learning a step beyond the classroom and apply it to the betterment of local and global communities.  On a small scale, this results in a culture of respect and care for one another and our immediate environment.  As students mature, they have more opportunities to represent the school in the larger community and in service projects that ask them to look farther afield.

Activities include:

• September-October CDS Scottsdale families began a donation drive for the Weldon House in Phoenix, a home for women and children dedicated to bettering their lives. We raised money and provided many necessary items as well as a $25 gift card for each child to purchase a Halloween costume. Our second through fourth grades took a field trip to the Weldon House and decorated their apartments and gave out trick or treat bags created by our students. The children met and became pen pals. Morning Meeting activities that week, especially the day after, focused on gratitude. This event had a notable impact on our students.
• October New and gently used costume drive to benefit the families of the Crisis Nursery.
• November/December Phoenix Rescue Mission Donation Drive
• December Gift of Giving: Our students each brought in one item and had class parties during which they decorated and stuffed stockings for the women of the Weldon House and Maggie's Place.
• March Jump Rope for Heart: CDS children practiced and built endurance for their participation in an event that raised over $8000.00 for the American Heart Association.
• April Students reach out to victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami