A new eagle has joined the St. Michael’s community! Edwin the Eagle is a small stuffed eagle, cousin to Irwin the Eagle, our school mascot, and the heart of a special partnership between Pre-K service learning and our school counseling social-emotional learning program. Edwin helps our youngest learners discover that they can make a meaningful difference in their school community.

From Learning to Service

Edwin spends the first half of each week in his Pre-K nest. During school counseling lessons, students help him learn skills such as sharing, taking turns, respecting personal space, using kind words, and including others.

Pre-K students also care for Edwin by filling him with hugs, high-fives, and encouragement. These small actions give children a concrete way to practice empathy and consider how kindness can help someone feel safe, welcomed, and connected. Later in the week, Edwin flies to Ms. Courtney’s school counseling office. There, he passes along the care he received from Pre-K to students who may need a little extra comfort or support. When Edwin returns to his nest, Pre-K students can reflect on his work, continue teaching him social-emotional skills, and prepare him for his next trip around campus.

Building a Bridge

The Edwin project creates a bridge between learning and service. School counseling lessons introduce important social-emotional skills, while service learning gives students a meaningful way to use those skills to care for others. The project supports school counseling goals by helping students develop empathy, positive relationships, cooperation, inclusion, and an understanding that their choices affect the community. It also introduces key service-learning practices through meaningful participation, reflection, student ideas, and an ongoing connection to the needs of others.

In this way, Edwin supports the whole child, mind, body, and spirit, while showing that even our youngest students can be thoughtful and capable community helpers.

Follow Edwin’s Adventures

Keep an eye out for Edwin around campus and ask a Pre-K student:

• “What did Edwin learn this week?”
• “How did Pre-K help Edwin care for others?”
• “What would you like to teach Edwin next?”

With help from his Pre-K friends, Edwin is carrying kindness from one part of our campus to another one hug, high-five, and encouraging word at a time.