Number of Participants: 50
Hours Donated: 15
Value of Time Served: $26,093
Event Type: Civic & Community
Activity: Football
School: Chelmsford High School
Date: August 1, 2026
Location:
Chelmsford High School
Richardson Road, North Chelmsford
MA
About:
For Chelmsford High School Football, summer is about more than preparing for the upcoming season. It is also an opportunity for student-athletes to strengthen their community, build meaningful relationships, and put the program’s core value of servant leadership into action.
Chelmsford Football has maintained a longstanding relationship with the town’s Community Education Center and its SummerFest program, which provides full-day summer childcare and camp activities for children in grades 1–6. The program gives children the opportunity to participate in gym activities, arts and crafts, STEM programming, outdoor water play, and more throughout the summer.
Each year in late June, approximately 50 Chelmsford football players dedicate four to six hours of their time to helping transform the preschool building into a welcoming and exciting summer environment for the children attending SummerFest. Their efforts help prepare the space for weeks of activities, learning, and fun.
The team’s involvement continues after the Fourth of July, when SummerFest hosts a week focused on sports and recreation. Several Chelmsford High School athletic programs volunteer their time to introduce younger students to their sports and teach foundational skills.
This summer, 20 Chelmsford football players spent a full day with SummerFest participants, working with the children from morning through the afternoon. In addition to teaching football fundamentals, the players focused on lessons that extend far beyond the field, including teamwork, dedication, encouragement, and, most importantly, the importance of having fun.
Their service will come full circle at the end of August, when members of the football program return to the Community Education Center to help restore the building to its original setup in preparation for the preschool year.
The team has also found another special way to connect with members of the Chelmsford High School community this summer.
Chelmsford High School’s Extended School Year program provides continued learning opportunities for special education and life skills students during the summer months. As part of the program, students operate a roadside lemonade stand on the CHS campus twice each week. Proceeds from the stand help fund an end-of-summer pizza party for participating students.
Over the past several weeks, Chelmsford football players have made a point of regularly visiting the lemonade stand, purchasing refreshments, spending time with their classmates, and getting to know them on a deeper level. The team has even helped bring lemonade and other products back into the school to support the students and their efforts.
These moments may seem simple, but they reflect an important philosophy within the Chelmsford Football program: leadership begins with service.
By giving their time throughout the summer, supporting younger children, connecting with classmates, and helping local programs thrive, Chelmsford football players are demonstrating what it means to be servant leaders both on and off the field.
Their commitment is a powerful example of how student-athletes can use teamwork, leadership, and compassion to make a meaningful difference in their community.
