Service Learning at AES

Why Service Learning is foundational preparation for life 

 

At AES, service learning isn’t an “extra.” It’s a mindset—one that reflects our motto, Enter to Learn. Leave to Serve. Service is in our DNA, it is part of our charter, and is reflected in our long-standing commitment to purposeful learning, community partnership, and Extraordinary Learner Experiences, one of our Strategic Pillars. Rooted in a rich history of engagement within our host country, our service-learning program is designed around reciprocity: students learn with communities, not just about them.

For families exploring international education, this matters. Service learning at AES connects students meaningfully to their local context, builds habits of mind that travel anywhere in the world, and develops the kind of authentic experiences universities increasingly value. Across all divisions, students learn that knowledge carries responsibility—and that learning is most powerful when it’s applied in service of others.

Early Lessons in Sustainability

In the Early Years Program, service learning begins with something wonderfully tangible: compost. Our youngest learners actively compost food waste near their playground, turning snack-time leftovers into lessons about sustainability, conservation, and care for the environment.

These experiences may seem small, but they are foundational. By practicing sustainable living—through composting, recycling, and striving for minimal to zero waste —students learn early that their choices matter. Furthermore, these students recognized that they are stewards of shared spaces, and that contributing to a community—whether local or global—starts with everyday actions. For internationally mobile families, this early grounding helps children develop empathy, responsibility, and curiosity about the world around them—skills that transfer seamlessly across cultures and countries.

“At the heart of this work is the value of caring—caring for the planet and understanding how we can give back. These ideas are deeply connected to our approach and shape how children experience their world,” Ruchira Kocchar, Elementary School Pre-K Teacher.

During the 2025–26 school year, Elementary School (ES) leadership invited students to join the Service Club through a structured application process in which they shared their motivations and goals. Over the course of the year, these Tiger Cubs have focused on how students can advocate for, and spread awareness of, ES values: being responsible, respectful, safe, and kind. Participation in these clubs offers motivated students the opportunity to understand what it means to lead with empathy and to collaborate across grade levels, helping build a strong, inclusive culture of belonging at AES.

Bringing real-world relevance to the overarching themes of conservation and equality, ES leadership invited Dr. Arshiya Bose, Founder and CEO of Black Baza Coffee Co., to visit Grade 5 students during their Global Trade unit. Black Baza works with hundreds of smallholder farmers to promote biodiversity-friendly farming practices, ensuring stable livelihoods and ecological conservation. Dr. Bose shared her insights on equity, diversity, and the realities of building a fair trade organization. Through her conversations with students, she highlighted the importance of ethical sourcing, community-centered enterprise, and responsible leadership in shaping more just and sustainable trade systems.

 

Circular Thinking in Action

Middle School students recently brought service learning to life through a direct service project in Satobari village, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, during their Week Without Walls (WOW) trip.

It started with a simple request: an active bus stop that serves as a daily gathering point needed renovation, and our seventh graders helped bring it back to life. What followed was a couple of hours of purposeful, hands-on work. Students arrived to find dust, debris, weeds pushing through cracks, and worn, peeling paint. They self-organized, worked in teams—scrubbing with wire brushes, clearing loose stones from the steps and seating areas, pulling out stubborn weeds, and sweeping years of buildup from every corner. There was plenty of laughter mixed in with the effort, but also a clear goal.

As the space slowly transformed, so did the students’ approach. They began to organize themselves more intentionally—figuring out who would tackle which task, adjusting when something wasn’t working, and stepping in to help one another without being asked. Brooms were mobilized, surfaces were brushed down, and the painting began. Layer by layer, the bus stop took on new life. What had felt neglected and forgotten started to look cared for again—ready to welcome the community back.

Moments like these bring our Learning Habits to life in ways that feel real and lasting. Students showed resilience in sticking with physically demanding work, resourcefulness in finding ways to get the job done well, and collaboration in how naturally they supported one another. Just as importantly, there was reflection—an understanding that their efforts had meaning beyond the task itself. By the end of the day, the bus stop stood as something more than a refreshed structure; it was a shared accomplishment, and a reminder of what can happen when students engage with empathy, purpose, and pride in their work.

Community Impact with Purpose

At the High School level, service learning becomes increasingly student-driven and outward-facing. Throughout the year, service clubs have led initiatives ranging from health screenings and art programs for underserved youth to sustained partnerships supporting neurodiverse learners.

One group of students, for example, works closely with Tamana, India’s UN-recognized not-for-profit organization for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental disabilities and for individuals on the Autism Spectrum. “Visiting Tamana’s Vocational School, Nai Disha, was an amazing experience…, something we had been anticipating and planning for a while. It felt a little weird at first going to their school, instead of them coming to ours; the roles were reversed. But being in their school - the noise, the atmosphere, their unique facilities - made me really understand where these students come from…” 

“I went in thinking that this would be like any other interaction that we have had in the past, but it really wasn’t. We never realized that these students had such diverse interests, including baking, pottery, and sewing. We now understand how we can adopt a more innovative approach to our activities at AES to better cater to their sensory needs and how they engage with the world around them, thereby extending and cultivating an environment where they can pursue hobbies beyond sports and board games. - Karam Singh (G11)

Another student-founded group, called P.A.W.S., is committed to volunteering weekly at a local animal shelter and to taking part in a five-week rabies course. The experience culminated in their teaching Grade 4 students about the disease and, for one student leader, helped her understand that service can bring value in many ways.

“Overall, PAWS has taught me that service is about showing up, being consistent, and finding ways to make a difference, big or small. - Damini Shrivastava Khosla (G12)

These experiences offer depth, not just breadth. Students learn how to build programs, work with community partners, and reflect critically on impact—key components of service learning that resonate strongly in university applications. More importantly, they develop a sense of agency and responsibility within their host country, gaining insight into local contexts while contributing meaningfully to them.

As many student shave shared, Service Learning at AES has been transformative:

“Service learning at AES means that nothing we do here is hypothetical or abstract. Every time we do something, no matter how small, there's a real person on the receiving end.” - Kavashi Kumar (G12, Service Council)

“Participating in service at AES has taught me that service is not only about giving back to our community, but also about the meaningful connections we build and the learning we gain. Here, service allows us to grow as individuals, whether that be how we approach a real-world issue or how we develop empathy and social awareness. The Service Council and our wonderful service clubs have established a strong foundation in which helping a community is intentional and impactful; the initiative, leadership, collaboration, and resources that are invested into service at AES are truly unique, and they come together to offer a learning experience that cannot be easily found elsewhere.” - Aahana Verma (G12, Service Council)

“We are very privileged to live the lives that we do; through the service work I've done, I have learned of many social issues I may not have been cognisant of otherwise. I appreciate the student-led structure of each service club. This, in particular, teaches us many of the skills—planning, communication, leadership—we need as we move through life.” - Madeleine Warburton (G11, Service Council)

Considering AES, your new HOME

At AES, service learning is woven into who we are. It connects students to their community, strengthens academic learning through experience, and prepares young people not just for university, but for thoughtful, purposeful, engaged lives anywhere in the world. For families seeking an international school where learning is intentional, connected, and deeply human—this is what it looks like in action.

Learn more about AES and the thoughtful, engaging education your child deserves.