Service learning is an integral part of the lower school curriculum at HTES.  Classroom teachers offer students a variety of service opportunities.   Each class makes an annual commitment to at least one service organization.  Our goal is to have students become personally involved with the people we serve.  The following paragraphs are examples of various projects HTES previously experienced. Our 2009-10 Academic year projects are still being planned and will soon be posted on our site.

Students in Mrs. Carrizales' and Mrs. Heath's Pre-K  classes brighten the lives of residents in a local assisted living facility.  They make regular seasonal visits. In October they parades around showing residents their costumes, giving hugs, teaching them some finger plays, and trick-or-treating for candy.  In December they spread some Christmas cheer by singing carols and passing out cards and candy canes.  They return on Valentine's Day to share cards and treats.  This year the Pre-K students involved the whole school in their Christmas project, Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan's Purse organization that brings Christmas to children around the world.

Mrs. Hanks' PreK-3 students and their parents support the RIF (Reading is Fundamental)  foundation, which helps promote literacy for the underserved children from birth to age 8.  Parents make donations that will be used to supply books for various programs, such as Books for Ownership, Shared Beginnings (second chances for teenage moms and their children), Care to Read (for daycare workers), Family of Readers (parental involvement), In Honor of Family, Friends, or Teachers, In Memory of, or Where the Need is Greatest. Another service learning project Mrs. Hanks' class is involved in is Country Crock’s Spread the Sharing Program.  The students' parents contribute a story about sharing on the Country Crock website, and Country Crock donates money to community food banks.  These young students also support the  Houston S.P.C.A.   This year, they are planning a pet show at Holy Trinity.  The participants will  pay an entry fee and the class will donate the money to the S.P.C.A.

Kindergarten students adopt an animal at the zoo.  Mrs. Walsh challenges each student to raise a portion of the adoption fee.  To do this, they  do extra chores at home.  They consolidate their earnings and track their progress each week.   They also entertain nursing home residents with cards and singing.

The first graders in Mrs. Reavis’s class give the homeless a reason to smile at their Sunday breakfasts.  They make 120 placemats each month for this Lord of the Streets outreach program.  They also make cards for residents at a local nursing home.

The fourth graders have chosen to support an organization that ministers to the homeless.  Every month they prepare and deliver 100 lunches to  Lord of the Streets Mission.  Through this ministry they learn that when they help the "needy," they are helping real people.