The Week Without Walls for the 8th grade of ACS was not just a learning experience through high end adventure activities. It is a program that provides learning from many different aspects. Today the kids had the opportunity to realize their responsibility towards mankind in a way they have not experienced before.
The days proceedings started off with the traditional offering of 'beetle' leaves and then a parade including a marching band taking the students into the school premises. The water fountain which was installed as a monument of the project was officially switched on by students from ACS. Traditional oil lamps were lit by representatives of both schools and Borderlands. The students were then treated to a traditional Sri Lankan dance, a welcome song and more. The 8th graders themselves got a chance to showcase their culture and talent by performing a dance and a song.
Preparations for the community service project conducted today started a while back in Beirut. An amount of $1,300 raised by the 8th grade was used to fund (donate) the Drinking Water Supply System of a local Sri Lankan School. The Hakbellawaka Kanishta Vidyalaya (H. Junior School) consists of 150 students and 20 teachers and is situated about 15 km away from the town of Kitulgala. Before, the school did not have a proper system to collect clean water from a little stream and use it for drinking. But with the generous contribution of the kids from ACS they managed to build a proper water supply system that enables the local children to drink clean water.
The days proceedings started off with the traditional offering of 'beetle' leaves and then a parade including a marching band taking the students into the school premises. The water fountain which was installed as a monument of the project was officially switched on by students from ACS. Traditional oil lamps were lit by representatives of both schools and Borderlands. The students were then treated to a traditional Sri Lankan dance, a welcome song and more. The 8th graders themselves got a chance to showcase their culture and talent by performing a dance and a song.
The rest of the day was dedicated to enhancing the interactions and friendship between the two groups of children. They got the chance to mix up among each other and paint murals on the school walls. Although the language barrier was strong the students did manage to communicate and interact with each other. It would be right to say every single student had a life changing time today bonding with the children from the local school.
Back in camp after the day's program ended the students sat down and discussed the whole experience and what they had learnt from it. It was evident that this experience opened the eyes of the children to see their responsibility towards human kind.
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