Road Trip: Tennessee Teens Come to Rockland to Help St. Dominic's Students

Blauvelt might not come to mind right away as a destination for a spring break trip, but for 35 students from Tennessee a roadtrip to the Orangetown hamlet has become a ritual.

The 11^th graders from The King’s Academy in Seymour, Tenn., for a third year in a row traveled to Blauvelt so they could spend a day of their annual spring break trip to New York at St. Dominic's School.  

The juniors from the private Southern Baptist Christian pre-K to 12th grade school, teachers and parent chaperones carve out a day of their week-long bus trip for community service by spending time at St. Dominic’s. 

Operated by nonprofit Saint Dominic’s Home, the K to 12th grade day school off Western Highway meets the personal growth, educational and academic needs of children with social-emotional needs, neurological impairments and learning difficulties. Students attend St. Dominic's School from Rockland, Westchester and New York City.

The Tennessee students were assigned in groups of four to classrooms to assist St. Dominic's students with art, science and reading projects and they lunched together on New York-style pizza, which was a real treat for the students from the southern rural town.

A few King’s Academy basketball team members challenged older St. Dominic's students to a friendly game of basketball. 

Located 35 miles south of Knoxville, The King’s Academy is a private school of 400 students from 17 different countries - many Asian nations - and promotes community services as part of its teachings.