May 29, 2026 - Service Learning Blog

📅 Reflections on the Year

By Aindra (Grade 7) and Aiden (Grade 8)

Cartoon created by:  Mai and Kyi Cyn

The year began with hesitant students, skeptical of their choices and unsure of how service learning could truly open the doors to both their hearts and minds. 

However, as months unfolded, teachers witnessed students stepping out of their comfort zones, building connections, and making meaningful contributions to the school community. This demonstrated that education stretched far past classroom walls, highlighting the profound impact service learning can make to students and the wider community.

“Service learning isn’t just about fundraising,” Ms. Schumaker explains,  “It's about seeing how we can come together to learn and grow. We not only give, but we also receive! I'm excited to see what a difference we can make for next year.”

Ms. Kim said, “It's been a privilege watching students learn that even small groups can make a meaningful impact. Service learning groups helped build community by bringing students together across grade levels through shared action.”

While teachers reflected on the impact of service learning, students also expressed their gratitude for what they learned and the connections they made because of it.“I’m so grateful for service learning and for the teachers who helped me throughout it all. It helped me communicate and socialize while helping others.”  Luisa (Grade 7)

Addar (Grade 7) “I really enjoyed playing with the children from CLC and Kalihtaw at the Helping Hands event. It felt great to have a shared purpose.” 

“I learned how to be a good leader. Being a good leader means being a good follower. You have to listen and be able to make compromises. Things shouldn’t always be going in the way I want them to.”  Eaindray (Grade 10)

Overall, service learning has helped students develop a deeper appreciation of our community. It has rooted compassion into daily life, strengthened friendships, and empowered students to recognize their own ability to make a positive change to the world around them. These lessons will continue to guide students long after the school year ends.

Last word from Mr Nick Sturmey
Service Learning Coordinator and faculty supervisor of the Service Learning Blog

"Thanks to the wonderful team of students who researched, interviewed, took photos, wrote, and edited articles and cartoons for the Blog. Special thanks to Eaindray for keeping us all on track. This is the last Blog to be published this school year because exams start next week. See you in August!"

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🌱 Trip to Kokkoya Organic Farm

By Charlotte and Mabel (Grade 5)

Every year, Grade 5 students focus on service learning through an exciting project called Compassion in Action (CiA). For our initiative, we decided to visit Kokkoya Organic Farm to learn more about composting.Kokkoya Organics is a farm that has worked with people and other organizations to create compost. We decided that we wanted to go to Kokkoya to learn about composting, and we thought it would be a great experience for other students as well. We were presented with the chance to meet with Kokkoya right at school, but we decided that it would be better to see the composting happen at their farm. After a series of emails and meetings, we got permission to visit Kokkoya. A mixed group of students (from elementary, middle, and high school), three teachers, and one gardener visited the Kokkoya farm. We learnt about the many methods of composting and asked about how we could do composting at ISY.

We decided that we are going to make a compost bin. We know that if we install waste food bins around the school, it will be a good idea because people sometimes don't finish their food. Food waste is a real problem in the world. We also learnt that organic waste needs to be treated with care. 

We are looking forward to working with the ISY service learning group Green Initiative to make compost, which we can use to grow vegetables in our garden.