The Community School: ‘Wise beyond his years’ Austin Pierce operates with a service mindset
At the Community School, Austin Pierce is known for his positive and helpful attitude. His service mindset extends beyond the walls of the classroom.
“He operates from his heart,” said Jaci Rodgers, the Community School’s special education facilitator. “It’s just kind of his compass. It’s what guides him.
“He’s incredibly loyal. He’s just wise beyond his years, even though there’s an immaturity in there through the years,” Rodgers continued. “There’s just something about Austin that’s super special and I believe it’s just a quality he was born with.”
Pierce serves as a mentor for other students at the school and is always willing to offer a helping hand or check in on another student or teacher, said Ashlee King, counselor at the Community School.
“It feels great (to help people),” Pierce said. “I just like seeing people be happy.”
Pierce’s kindness is something that defines his character, said Rodgers and King. His kindness and “quiet leadership” have helped him to gain confidence in his four years at the Community School.
“He has a servant’s heart,” King said. “He really wants to be helpful. He wants to be a good friend. And he genuinely cares how you are.”
For the past few summers, Pierce has worked at a summer camp, and he regularly returns to his elementary school, Stevens Elementary, to volunteer and help the students during after-school programming. He wants to put a smile on people’s faces.
“It just feels amazing giving back,” Pierce said. “And with my elementary school, they did so much for me when I was younger because all my siblings went there except for one. I felt like it was my turn to give back to them and help them with anything and everything that I could.”
Pierce went on a mission trip last year to Mexico with his church, Liferoads Church. There, his service mindset allowed him to help the community.
“We went and built a concrete parking lot for the church so they have like a little play court-slash-parking lot,” Pierce said. “We also spent some time feeding the community in different locations. It’s been an amazing experience with the church. They gave me so many opportunities that I haven’t even thought I would have had.”
The Community School is an alternative school where classes are integrated and project-based, with projects that connect to the community. Pierce was a student who found success in the “model of collaborative work teamwork” the school encourages, King said.
Pierce’s time at school did not come without its challenges. There was a time when he was not sure if he wanted to continue attending the Community School. His friends and teachers convinced him to stay.
“They’re just super great support teachers,” Pierce said of the staff at the Community School. “It’s nice to actually have teachers and feel like I’m actually recognized and that they can tell that I’m not doing OK.”
Pierce hopes to continue to bring smiles to people’s faces after he graduates from high school. He wants to go to school to become a diesel mechanic before one day becoming a physical education teacher.