Goal III commits Sacred Heart educators to educate to a social awareness which impels to action, nurturing students to develop a social consciousness and practice active compassion toward people experiencing injustice. This commitment is lived in the Upper School Social Action program and is commonly called “Faith in Action.” Social Action is a tiered program inspired by the Goals and Criteria and the “Artisans of Hope” documents, which call people to go to the margins and live more humanly in the radical way of Jesus of Nazareth. First Academics are oriented to this program through lessons and activities informed by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Through this awareness building, students grow in their intellect as they identify and understand systems that are in place that fuel injustice and are inspired to serve.

“I think that the foundational year is so important because it teaches the importance of doing something for your community and faith,” says Elinor Wright ’25 “Social Action becomes more than just a time outside of the classroom but is a way to connect to new people, learn skills like teamwork, and the importance of serving your time and energy to others.”

Led by Fourth Academic Social Action Leaders (SALs), First Academics engage in various experiences on and off campus, such as volunteering at food banks, cleaning up local parks, attending in-house service opportunities, and dedicated education from representatives from social justice organizations. As a result, students receive a breadth and depth of knowledge and experiences from making fleece blankets, snack packs, and Thanksgiving bags in response to global crises and engaging with speakers from the Anti-Defamation League to learn about anti-Semitism. 

Most importantly, reflection questions culminate each Social Action Day to cement connections and deepen social awareness. Students explore questions specific to their activities, such as: What does holding a drive or community organizing look like? What's the call to action? They also explore questions that connect service as an action of their faith, such as: How has this brought you closer to God? How does this activity connect to the essential question: “How is my well-being bound up in yours?”

First Academics will expand on these experiences throughout their time in Upper School, eventually choosing one organization to support in their Third and Fourth Academic years. They will develop relationships with site coordinators and experience the cycles and challenges service organizations face. Some students choose to become Social Action Leaders to build programming and lead activities to assist in forming incoming classes, or students can serve on the Social Action Student Advisory Board and help plan morning assemblies with the Director of Social Action, Dr. Katie White.

“Social Action becomes more than just a time outside of the classroom but is a way to connect to new people, learn skills like teamwork, and the importance of serving your time and energy to others.”

- Elinor Wright ’25

The First Academic Social Action experience lays an essential foundation for Sacred Heart students' journey toward social justice. Through hands-on service activities, educational programming, and guided reflection, students begin to understand how guided by their faith, their actions can address community needs. This initial year plants the seeds for deeper engagement with social justice work, preparing students to take on increasingly meaningful service roles throughout their Upper School years while remaining grounded in the principles of faith, compassion, and community that define the Sacred Heart mission.