Work Gang

The work gang tradition goes back to Dublin’s earliest years, when students, teachers, and staff worked together to build their school. Today’s work gangs continue the tradition of tackling substantial projects and discovering that teamwork makes it possible to “get it done.” Work gang teams carve out new trails on Dublin’s campus, plant gardens, and cut firewood, deliver and stack it for needy families in Dublin’s community.

Work gang is one of Dublin’s most enduring and beloved “classrooms”—provid- ing lessons about life and the world we live in and our roles as stewards of our environment. Students work with adults to plan their work gang projects and make critical decisions along the way. They learn the value of all kinds of work.

Alumni who complained about clearing stumps to make way for the School’s athletic fields look back with amazement today at what they accomplished as teenagers, and count their work gang experiences as valuable lessons that left them with a can-do spirit, unflagging work ethic, and a sense of responsibility for making the world a better place.