At Snowy Mountains Grammar School (SMGS), service learning is an essential part of our students’ growth. It connects classroom learning with meaningful action, encouraging empathy, leadership, and responsibility.
Nurturing people and the planet is central to our School ethos. Through Service Learning, students develop a strong sense of responsibility towards others and the environment, while creating meaningful change locally, nationally, and globally.
What Service Learning Looks Like at SMGS
From Kindergarten through to Year 12, Service Learning is embedded into everyday school life.
- Junior School: Students partner with SolarBuddy to raise awareness of energy poverty. They fundraise for and assemble solar light kits, giving children in remote communities the chance to read and learn after dark. Our younger students are also passionate about protecting the endangered Mountain Pygmy Possum and its fragile alpine habitat.
- Middle and Senior School: Service Learning is embedded in the House system. Each House selects a meaningful cause, raising awareness and funds to support it through creative initiatives.
Through these experiences, our students grow in social and global awareness, learning the value of compassion, action, and positive change.
Year 6 Book Fair for Lifeline
Our Year 6 leaders, Indi and Rosie, organised a K–6 Second-Hand Book Fair. Families were invited to donate gently used books, with every sale raising funds for Lifeline Australia. The initiative encouraged students’ love of reading while promoting sustainability and community service.
Thanks to the generosity of our school community, the Book Fair raised over $600 to support Lifeline’s vital work.
Year 7 Heat the Homeless Project
Year 7 students are supporting XTM’s Heat the Homeless initiative, collecting warm, waterproof jackets for people experiencing homelessness across Australia. This project is a strong example of compassion in action, highlighting how students can respond to real community needs.
Playing it Forward with UNO!
This September, our Year 7 students are leading the charge in the UNO Challenge to support the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
On Friday, 12 September, students in Years 7 to 10 will face off in a fun-filled UNO tournament. Each player is asked to bring a gold coin donation, with all funds raised going towards purchasing games for sick kids in hospital.
By coming together for a simple card game, our students are creating something bigger: joy, connection, and support for children who need it most. Every card played helps brighten hospital stays for seriously ill kids across Australia.
Kiandra House Charity Film Festival
The Kiandra House Charity Film Festival showcases student creativity through short films on the theme “Winter in Motion.” Proceeds will support Disabled Wintersport Australia (DWA), linking creativity with community impact and reinforcing the importance of giving back.
These examples show that even small, student-led actions can have a big impact on both the local community and the wider world.
Global Service Learning: Borneo Tour
Earlier this year, a group of SMGS students embarked on an international service learning tour to Borneo. Their journey combined cultural immersion with hands-on conservation projects such as:
- Marine conservation programs
- Trekking through remote environments
- Supporting orangutan conservation efforts
This experience gave our students a deeper understanding of environmental sustainability and global citizenship, while also strengthening resilience, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Why Service Learning Matters at SMGS
From fundraising for local charities, to supporting people in need, to contributing to conservation efforts overseas, our students demonstrate that service is not a one-off event but an ongoing part of learning at SMGS.
We are proud of the meaningful contributions our students make, both close to home and across the globe.