At Carmel Catholic High School, service is more than a requirement—it’s a formative experience that shapes how our students see the world and their place in it.
Whether volunteering at PADS, supporting local food pantries, or packing meals at Feed My Starving Children, Carmel Catholic students regularly give their time and talents to serve others. These moments matter—but what’s even more powerful is understanding the lasting impact of those efforts.
Recently, our community was reminded just how far that impact can reach. In the remote region of Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé, Panama—an eight-hour journey from Panama City—Carmel alumnus Robert Fitzpatrick ’20 is serving with the Peace Corps. There, he works alongside an Indigenous community where access to proper nutrition remains a daily challenge.
Among the supplies reaching this community are food packages—like the ones our students help pack right here in our area at Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville. Seeing these meals arrive and nourish families in need brings a powerful, full-circle perspective. What may feel like a small act of service in the moment becomes something far greater—impacting lives across the globe.
At Carmel, students don’t just serve—they come to understand why service matters. They learn that compassion has no boundaries, and that even the simplest acts can create meaningful change.
It’s this spirit of service that defines a Carmel education—and prepares our students to lead with purpose, wherever they are called.