Maddie Thompson

Maddie Thompson is a Good Shepherd Volunteer serving at Collier High School in New Jersey. After growing up in St. Louis, she graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in theology and peace studies and a minor in Catholic social tradition. Maddie has a passion for community, a love for pottery, and a never-ending desire to explore.

By this Author

As a chapter ends, it's a gift to be part of a larger story

Notes from the Field - Serving at Collier High School has allowed me to glimpse small pieces of our students' worlds as they invite me into their stories. It has been a privilege to learn even a bit about who they are as young adults.

Innate human dignity means broken bread, not broken bodies

Notes from the Field - We all deserve to feel safe, to have access to food, shelter, clothing and health care. Yet we know this is not reality.

Former Good Shepherd Volunteer Christina Hardebeck invited me to a gardening workshop hosted by Kula Urban Farm in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The workshop involved basic gardening tips, planting seeds and tending to the larger community garden.

'Get out from your head and get growing, dear child'

Notes from the Field - A quote from Dallas Clayton reminds me to get out of my head and step into the real world — to get growing right where my two feet find themselves planted. This is much easier said than done.

As part of a campaign hosted by Catholic Volunteer Network, I answered the question "Why service?" alongside volunteers around the world. I engage in service for many reasons, namely to learn, grow in community and practice simple living. (Maddie Thompson

With Collier Chats, I see our school through others' eyes

Notes from the Field - A tradition for Good Shepherd Volunteers is Collier Chats, lighthearted conversations with co-workers that allow me to get to know the people who make Collier High School what it is.

Sprinkler spraying water on flats of seedling plants

Amid melting snow and warmer days, hope for a future harvest

Notes from the Field - I have found that trying to remain present has provided me with the opportunity to be surprised — by students, classes, staff, or even the weather.

I enjoy taking a walk around campus in the evening to catch the sunset, which paints the sky with incredible color. (Maddie Thompson)

The four tenets of Good Shepherd Volunteers keep me rooted

Notes from the Field - Though the pandemic has turned the world upside-down, the tenets of social justice, simplicity, spirituality and community provide solid ground for my Good Shepherd Volunteer year.

Glimpses of the Collier High School hallways beckoning in spring with the help of excerpts from Amanda Gorman's poem "The Hill We Climb" (Maddie Thompson)

Planting seeds of strength with Amanda Gorman's inspiring poem

Notes from the Field - The inaugural poet's words, now dancing amid a mural of wildflowers in Collier High School, remind us of the obstacles we have had to overcome and provide us strength for the many more we will face.

The sun setting on the Collier High School campus one evening. The beauty of the Collier campus continues to refresh staff and students even amid a difficult year. (Maddie Thompson)

Students show the courage, resilience needed for civic engagement

Notes from the Field: It was a gift to be able to support Collier High School students as they prepared for a virtual Model United Nations conference. In a divided world, these students set a brave example.

One of my favorite ways to spend my time in 2020 was hiking. This local trail is part of the amazing Monmouth County Park system. (Maddie Thompson)

Start 2021 by making room for the unexpected

Notes from the Field - My service year so far at Collier High School has been filled with nothing but the unexpected. When thinking of what I wanted less of in 2021, I immediately wanted to draw a symbol for the unexpected.

The Collier campus after the first major snow, leading to the school's first snow day of the year. Students and staff love seeing the campus covered in white like a winter wonderland. (Maddie Thompson)

In a year of darkness and uncertainty, we are a people of hope

Notes from the Field - Serving in a space like Collier High School renews my sense of hope even when a piece of my heart constantly feels weighed down by the recognition of the world's pain.

The Collier Transition Program is housed in the solar building on Collier High School's campus in Wickatunk, New Jersey. (Maddie Thompson)

Intimidation, creativity and determination in a time of transition

Notes from the Field: The journey through the Collier High School's transition program looks as unique as each of our students, but we get through by climbing over, sliding around, going under and forging new trails.

Maddie Thompson, left, and Madison Thomas, a former Good Shepherd Volunteer, pose with their welcome signs outside of Collier High School in Wickatunk, New Jersey. (Christina Hardebeck)

Creativity abounds. The trees know it.

Notes from the Field - The mission of Collier Youth Services is "to provide at-risk youth a chance to grow toward their potential in an environment that promotes belonging, dignity and hope."