WISS Service Projects
At WISS we encourage all staff and students and parents to act on their desires to bring aid and comfort. We support anyone who has an idea. We support each other. Service projects come from all parts of the learning community.
The WISS philosophy is that when we bring aid and comfort, we help ourselves as much as we are trying to aid others. That is the core of a successful service project.
All of our students keep a reflection journal. Reflection is the key. Reflection is the process that turns life circumstances into real experiences. We live looking forward but we learn looking back.
Community Classes
On Saturday mornings we run and English Language programme that is free to the local children both migrant and Shanghai residents. We have been running this programme for 3 years and it is sustained primarily by student and parent volunteers. Student volunteer teachers usually work one on one with a Chinese young person using an English Language workbook.
Wednesday night School also provides English Language instruction and is led by parent volunteer and student volunteers.
Couleur de Chine
Couleurs de Chine is a French NGO that provides and invaluable service to Miao and Dong ethnic minorities in Danian area. We have several fundraisers throughout the year to support the efforts of Couleurs de Chine. We have worked closely with them since the schools inception and our recent Christmas fundraiser has provided them with nearly 50,000RMB. Additionally we try to support Couleur de Chine with fellowship. WISS students and parents visited them in February 2011 to create a photographic essay of Couleur de Chine and the Miao and Dong people and to experience their very unique way of celebrating the Spring Festival. One of our parents is a professional photographer and will help us to exhibit the work and raise more money for Couleur de Chine as well as raise the consciousness of the community as to the plight of these people.
Cambodia
Recently WISS students travelled to Cambodia and were involved in a service project working on two small family plots of land deep in the Cambodian countryside, just outside Siem Reap. These families are not connected to the power grid and only recently had a well dug on their land for a direct clean water supply. Forty holes were dug in the dry, hard-packed earth and 20 mango trees and 20 banana trees were planted. Our students helped local people cultivate a ten bed vegetable garden on each plot. Fifteen students, working in two groups alongside Cambodian family members, dug the holes and made the garden using hand tools over a six hour period in 40 degree heat. All this work contributed to requirements laid down in our curriculum for community and service outcomes, but also inspired our young people think globally and act locally on a whole range of environmental issues.
Giving Tree
We participate in Giving tree, a project providing deserving migrants and orphaned children with a gift bag of new clothes, toys and school supplies in the spirit of Christmas.
Our school filled three Hundred bags for the giving tree this year. That is a little more than 1 bag per student. One of events are numerous. There is always something going on.
Special projects and “one off “ events
Clothing drives, raising money for reading glasses to bring to Danian. Last year our 5th graders raised money for a girl in Australia that needed a special wheelchair.
Contact : John Cucinello CAS Coordinator/Community Service Leader
Email: jcucinello@wiss.cn
