Altruism & Service: "Enter to Learn, go Forth to Serve"

Since its founding in 1958, Halifax Grammar School's motto has been "Enter to learn, go forth to serve." We state in our mission that we "help students discover their passions, develop their potential and serve the needs of others". The mission goes on to state that students are prepared by our "balanced curriculum in academics, athletics, altruism and the arts." In this section of our website you can learn in more detail how we are living our motto and achieving our mission with regard to service and altruism.

Service Learning


The HGS Service Learning Philosophy was created to allow students to learn about their local and global communities and develop skills critical to being responsible, active, global citizens throughout their lives. All Service Learning Projects at HGS integrate instruction, action, and reflection. Programs for service learning include:

The Giving Tree
Ronald McDonald House
Pink Shirt Day

Creativity Action Service Program


All students in the Senior School are challenged to get involved in the wider community. The “CAS” program is a requirement of the IB diploma program and is completed by students in grades 11 and 12. The emphasis is on learning by doing tasks that have real consequences and then reflecting on these experiences over time.

In their final two years of high school, each HGS student completes a minimum of 150 hours of unpaid and extra-curricular work in the three areas of the CAS program:

  • Creativity
  • Action
  • Service

Global

At the Halifax Grammar School, we want our students to consider themselves citizens of the world and not just citizens of their smaller community. We try to build their awareness and provide them with opportunities to make a difference.
 

Local

At the Halifax Grammar School, we provide students with opportunities to give back to their local community. Our students are encouraged to partner with local organizations and to bring forth their own ideas for service.
 
Halifax Grammar School is the leading independent, co-educational day school in Atlantic Canada. From Junior Primary through Grade 12, the Halifax Grammar School is an environment where passionate teachers challenge students to develop confidence through independence, where coaches and advisors encourage students to pursue excellence through effort, and where a community fosters in students a lasting commitment to helping others.