Community in Action: A Year of Service Through the PSO

Allison Simpson, Jen Rosen, Stephanie Vandergrift, Emily Anderson

At Duke School, community is more than a value, it’s something we put into action.

This year, the Parent School Organization’s (PSO) created numerous opportunities for students, families, and caregivers to come together to support our wider community across the Triangle while strengthening connections within our own community. Through food and clothing drives, volunteer projects, environmental stewardship, and family-friendly fundraising events, Duke School families demonstrated the power of collective action.

One of the year's largest efforts was a food drive benefiting Emmanuel Food Pantry. Organized by the PSO in partnership with Duke School’s Student Leadership Council, the drive generated so many donations that it took an entire school bus and two SUV trunks to transport everything to the pantry. The generosity continued with a clothing drive for Note in a Pocket, where donations filled two SUVs with clothing for local children and families experiencing clothing insecurity.

The PSO Community Service Committee's third annual Duke School Day of Community Service brought together more than 50 volunteers, including students from every division, parents, and grandparents. Together, volunteers packed more than 200 lunches for Urban Ministries and wrapped 10,000 diapers for the NC Diaper Bank, demonstrating how a few hours of service can create a meaningful impact.

During the holiday season, the PSO Community Service Committee partnered with the Orange County Department of Social Services to support children in foster care. Duke School families fulfilled the holiday wish lists of all 20 children identified through the program, helping ensure each child experienced a brighter holiday season.

The PSO also connected Duke School families with opportunities to participate in larger community service efforts. Hosted on Duke School’s campus, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service meal-packing event—a regional initiative started 19 years ago by the Rotary Club of Durham—brought together Duke School families and community partners from across the region to pack more than 175,000 meals distributed across the Triangle through the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams and Duke University President Vincent Price were in attendance. A special thank you to Kimberly Shaw, Director of Equity, Justice, and Belonging, for organizing the Duke School team. The event brought together volunteers from schools, universities, nonprofits, faith communities, and civic organizations around a shared commitment to serving others.

The PSO also organized Duke School's participation in the 2026 Just TRYAN It Kids Triathlon, providing another opportunity for students and families to make a meaningful impact in the wider community. Twenty-three Dragon team members raised an incredible $22,523 as part of the event's total fundraising effort of $168,819, supporting families undergoing pediatric cancer treatment at Duke and UNC Hospitals. We are proud of these young upstanders whose determination, generosity, and teamwork made a meaningful difference for families facing difficult circumstances.

The PSO also encouraged families to care for the local environment. During Durham Creek Week, approximately 20 members of the Duke School community joined a creek cleanup at Forest Hills Park in partnership with Keep Durham Beautiful. Volunteers tackled litter and "trashbergs" in the creek, making a visible difference in its health and beauty.

Giving back was paired with opportunities to build community and have fun. In April, the PSO hosted its inaugural Rockin' Rollerskate Fundraiser at Wheels Durham. More than 200 participants joined the event, raising $1,849 for the Duke School Dragon Fund while enjoying an evening of laughter, music, and connection.

Taken together, these efforts reflect the heart of the Duke School community. Through the leadership of the PSO and the enthusiasm of Duke School families, hundreds of people found ways to serve others, strengthen community ties, and make a positive impact throughout the year.

Thank you to the PSO volunteers, Community Service Committee members, and all the families who donated, volunteered, participated, and helped make these efforts possible. Your generosity continues to show what can happen when a community comes together around a shared purpose.

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