At Stratford School in Fremont, CA, community service is a cornerstone of citizenship.  The school has a rich tradition of giving back to the communities where students live and learn. “Compassion and service are at the center of our Stratford Cares program. We want our students to find themselves in service of the world around them by recognizing the needs of others,” said Sherry Adams, Founder of Stratford School.  For the 2015-2016 Pennies for Patients campaign at their Fremont School, principal Ellie Tariverdi challenged her students to raise $30,000 and agreed to kiss an alpaca if they met their goal.  As you can see, she kept her promise!  This year, she has set their goal at $35,000 and promised to kiss a cow if they succeed.  A highlight of their fundraising efforts is the jog-a-thon where students collect pledges and walk with signs and banners. The school does a great job involving parents, collecting matching gifts and spreading the word with online donations.  Since 2011, Stratford Fremont has raised $98,864.54 for life saving research and patient programs. “We are so proud of our students and their community service activities. As a part of their character development, it’s our goal to nurture students’ growing empathy and understanding of their world to inspire a lifetime of community action and citizenship,” said Sherry Adams.