Servant Leadership Institute: Building a Culture of Service and Compassion

Jan 15

At St. Joseph Academy, we believe that leadership begins with service, and this year we are proud to introduce the Servant Leadership Institute, a program designed to make service a lasting part of our school’s culture. Through our hands-on engagement in local community projects, we are teaching students the importance of compassion, responsibility, and making a tangible difference.

A Community-Wide Commitment to Service: 100% Participation

One of the most exciting aspects of our Servant Leadership Institute is the 100% participation from both students and faculty. Every member of the St. Joseph Academy community, from our youngest students to our dedicated faculty and administration, has embraced the opportunity to contribute to the needs of our local community. Through these efforts, we are fostering a school culture where service is not just encouraged—it is an integral part of who we are.

Our community has already combined for over 2,500 hours of service in just the first semester alone! This tremendous commitment showcases the dedication and passion our students, faculty, and staff have for making a meaningful impact and highlights the true spirit of servant leadership within our school.

Local Service: Making a Difference in Our Own Backyard

The Servant Leadership Institute focuses exclusively on local service projects, which directly impact our surrounding communities. We are proud to have partnered with over 40 community organizations to support a wide range of causes. This year, our students took part in several impactful initiatives, including our Thanksgiving Food Drive, which successfully provided meals to 1,200 families in need, and our Toy Drive, which collected and distributed over 2,000 toys to children in the area. These projects exemplify the spirit of generosity that we strive to cultivate within our school community.

Our service projects also include volunteering at food banks, cleaning up local parks, supporting senior citizens, and more. By working with these community partners, our students are gaining invaluable experiences that not only improve the lives of others but also deepen their understanding of the challenges their neighbors face.

Here are just a few of the over 40 community partners St. Joseph Academy has been proud to work with this year:

SSJ Neighborhood Center in Camden
Cathedral Kitchen
Joseph’s House of Camden
Ronald McDonald House of South Jersey
Heritage Assisted Living
Hammonton Nursing Home
Hammonton Success Center
Township of Hammonton
Saint Vincent de Paul Society
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
Special Olympics
Tyler Wechsler Foundation
Patient Care Hospice
Camden County Office of Sustainability
Chick-fil-A (Leader Academy)
Love for Our Elders
Trinity First Hope Center
Homeward Bound Adoption Center

These partnerships exemplify our commitment to serving a variety of causes—supporting individuals, families, and organizations in need, from food insecurity and health care to education and animal welfare. The breadth of these collaborations speaks to our students' diverse experiences and the opportunity they have to make a meaningful impact in so many areas.

Service as a Core Value at St. Joseph Academy

Service is not just an activity at St. Joseph Academy—it is a core value that permeates our school culture. Through the Servant Leadership Institute, we are teaching our students that true leadership is rooted in compassion and empathy. By engaging in local service work, our students are learning the power of giving back, developing leadership skills, and experiencing firsthand how they can make a difference in the lives of others.

Through our service initiatives, we are cultivating a generation of leaders who understand that leadership is about serving others. They are learning that the act of giving is just as important as the skills and knowledge they acquire in the classroom, and that both are essential to creating positive change in the world.

The Head of School’s Vision

Mr. Stephen Cappuccio, Head of School, shares his thoughts on the importance of the Servant Leadership Institute:
“At St. Joseph Academy, we believe that true leadership is grounded in the spirit of service. Our Servant Leadership Institute represents our commitment to fostering young leaders who understand the importance of giving back to their community. This program reflects our core values and gives our students the opportunity to put those values into action, helping them develop the leadership qualities they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.”

A Special Tribute to Mrs. LaRosa

A key figure behind the success of the Servant Leadership Institute is Mrs. Jennifer LaRosa, whose unwavering dedication to service has made a lasting impact on the St. Joseph Academy community. Mrs. LaRosa serves as the program coordinator and has been instrumental in establishing the strong relationships with local organizations that make these service projects possible.

Mrs. LaRosa is a proud graduate of Camden Catholic High School (Class of 1988) and holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree from Saint Joseph’s University. Her passion for helping others began at a young age and grew during her college years when she spent considerable time volunteering in the community. Over the years, Mrs. LaRosa has made service her lifelong mission, working in various roles dedicated to ministry and community outreach. She has served as the Director of Pallottine Ministry at Bishop Eustace, and as the Director of Campus Ministry at Camden Catholic High School.

Mrs. LaRosa’s passion for community service is the driving force behind the success of the Servant Leadership Institute. Her ability to connect people with meaningful causes has earned her the respect and admiration of both students and faculty. Her efforts ensure that each service project is not just a task, but a meaningful experience that teaches the values of compassion and leadership.

Mrs. LaRosa reflects on the significance of the program:
“What makes the Servant Leadership Institute so special is the way it brings our community together. It’s not just about completing a project—it’s about showing our students the true impact of service and how they can make a difference in someone else’s life. It’s an honor to work alongside our students and faculty to foster this culture of giving.”

Looking Ahead

As the Servant Leadership Institute continues to grow, we are excited to expand our impact in the local community and further solidify service as a foundational value at St. Joseph Academy. By continuing to engage in meaningful service projects, our students will learn the importance of leadership through action, and we will continue to create a culture of compassion and service at our school.

We are incredibly proud of the work our students have accomplished this year, and we look forward to seeing how they continue to lead with service in the future. At St. Joseph Academy, we are committed to creating a school environment where leadership is not just a title, but a way of life, built on the foundation of serving others.