Partnering for service learning excellence
LeeAnne (front, middle) with teachers from all over Abu Dhabi at a workshop hosted at ACS Abu Dhabi about AI & Digital Storytelling.
by Brian Lavender, Storyteller
The American Community School of Abu Dhabi is exemplary in many areas, one of which is service learning. Under the leadership of Melisa (Mel) Pubil, Director of Service Learning, ACS Abu Dhabi has made significant strides in integrating service learning and action into the educational experience, moving beyond traditional community service to embrace a more purposeful engagement with community and global issues.
Mel, coming from a broad background with an emphasis in humanities, took on the role of service learning coordinator five years ago. Her journey began out of sheer curiosity and passion, which soon led her to become the torchbearer of the program following her predecessor's retirement. ACS Abu Dhabi has long celebrated a culture where service is as integral as academics, arts, and athletics. This ethos is echoed by Mel, who notes that the term "service" is pervasive across the school, reflecting a deeply ingrained commitment to fostering a service-oriented mindset among students.
The United Arab Emirates, home to ACS Abu Dhabi, presents a unique backdrop for service learning. “There isn't a lot of opportunity for engagement with community partners because community organizations don't exist widely here,” explains Mel. As a result, ACS Abu Dhabi has typically focused its service efforts inwardly, within the school community and extending to the migrant workforce. However, under Mel’s guidance, the school has broadened its scope, increasingly involving environmental initiatives and advocacy.
Selecting Helpers for the Journey
The transformative journey of ACS Abu Dhabi's service learning program owes much to external experts who have catalyzed change and expanded perspectives. LeeAnne Lavender, a service learning and storytelling coach and facilitator, has played a pivotal role. Mel’s collaboration with LeeAnne has been instrumental in refining the school's approach to service learning, ensuring it transcends the confines of traditional community service.
Specifically, LeeAnne’s on-site and virtual work has helped Mel reshape service learning frameworks, guiding staff and students through workshops and projects that emphasize sustainable and meaningful service engagements. An example of such impactful collaboration was an interdisciplinary project involving seventh graders, which prompted teachers to explore the nuances between community service, service learning, and civic action.
Magnifying the impact of these efforts, the school is embracing the power of narrative. “LeeAnne helped me think through a plan for impactful storytelling,” says Mel.
While on-site, LeeAnne also led an open afternoon workshop for educators in Abu Dhabi about AI & digital storytelling. She also ran a deep listening workshop with high school students, and reflection sessions with all middle school students and staff about experiential week-long Viper Ventures trips that had just happened. She also served as a coach for several strategic planning sessions about service learning, service stories, green spaces on campus, community partnerships, and sustainability initiatives.
Shifting Perspectives
During the middle school reflection sessions, LeeAnne was able to model some of the benefits of employing empathy-building activities as part of an enhancement to the Viper Venture reflection process. Through deep listening, the overall impact of student experiences was broadened from a simple “us and them” comparison. By emphasizing assets-based thinking, students became more able to recognize the complexity of cultural awareness rather than fixating on materialistic or surface observations.
As ACS Abu Dhabi continues to evolve its service learning integration, the focus remains on ensuring these experiences are naturally embedded into students' educational journeys, not as isolated events but as integral parts of overall growth and learning.
The school's approach highlights the importance of preparing students to be engaged, compassionate, and knowledgeable global citizens, capable of making meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.
Looking ahead, ACS Abu Dhabi's approach to service learning, spearheaded by Mel, and supported by external experts like LeeAnne, stands as a compelling model of how schools can effectively integrate service into education.
Photos below, clockwise from top left:
Mel & LeeAnne during a site visit; getting set up for an afternoon workshop about AI & Digital Storytelling; LeeAnne, Mel, and Jenny Derby planning a grade 7 interdisciplinary week; facilitating a deep listening experience with a group of high school students; leading reflection with middle schoolers; facilitating a workshop with middle school teachers; and working with more middle school students.
