Community Service

The idea of combining compassion with action starts at an early age. In our Above and Beyond program, we develop childrens’ understanding of what it means to be empathic, to be creative problem solvers, and to help others. Alongside teachers or student volunteers from our high school, children engage in specific service projects and experience firsthand the impact kindness can have on others.

Take a closer look at our Early Childhood students in action:

• First graders launched an initiative to build a "buddy bench" to support friends who may at times feel lonely or need someone to talk to during recess. The first grade established a Buddy Bench Committee to see the idea turned into reality.
• A group of second graders in the Stop Motion Club dedicated recess time to creating an instructional video about composting and waste sorting. They shared it with fellow students to raise awareness and to promote positive environmental practices.
• Second graders from the Interview Club interview HS students from the Giving Back Club to learn about kindness and the power of giving. 

In grades 3 through 5 children identify, study and support organizations in Lebanon performing valuable work to protect the environment and support Lebanon’s underserved communities. These efforts culminate in two ES Gives Back Days that have included collaborations with Berrad El Hay, Ahla Fawda, UWYTA, Dar Al Aytam, Ajialouna, the Mohammad Khaled Foundation, the Lebanese Food Bank, and DAFA.

Take a closer look at our Elementary School students in action:

• ES Gives Back Day is a day of community service held two times per year. Students visit local NGOs to lend a hand and to engage with others in a meaningful way.
• ES Business Day, launched in 2024, is a day for students to showcase their entrepreneurial abilities by creating and selling products to the community. All proceeds – over $10,000 in 2024 and 2025 – are donated to local charities.

Middle School students learn the essentials of community advocacy and action through many channels. Grade 6-8 advisories group together to form six ACS houses. Each “house” has a designated community service leader who coordinates with an NGO on a quarter-long project that culminates in a Service Day. Houses work together to plan, fundraise, and reflect on their service initiatives. Dedicated service periods recur every two weeks. After careful planning, students participate in two full-day community service events each school year. Moreover, middle school students may participate in the middle school service club, Random Acts of Kindness, or with high school students in Nour International and the ECO Club.

By High School, ACS students are ready to take on projects and causes of their own design and under their own leadership. In preparation for this, all 9th and 10th-grade students attend two yearly Service Days. Service Days introduce underclassmen to local aid organizations and help them conceive of future community service efforts tailored to their skills and interests, maximizing their impact. There are currently eight community service-based clubs at ACS, including ACS for Animals, the Giving Back Club, the ECO Club, the INARA Club, Nour International, the Shaping Smiles Club, the Light Up a Life Club, and the Pulse for Hope Club.