Students read with children as part of a collaborative activity with Sint Maarten’s Player Development organization. Photo credit: Warda Alam, Student Experience Ambassador

AUC's second Community Action Day of the year kicked off on Saturday, June 22. More than 250 students, faculty, staff and family contributed to volunteer projects at 27 sites across the island, collaborating with community partners such as Tri-Sport, the Mental Health Foundation, Player Development, White & Yellow Cross, and many more. In total, the AUC community invested more than 750 hours of service at the event, which takes place three times a year.

The variety of service projects offered during the day provided students numerous ways to engage with the community. Volunteers gave free health screenings, led educational activities for children, cleaned up local beaches and neighborhoods, facilitated a fitness day for senior citizens, painted and improved spaces at local schools and nonprofits, and coached high school students in preparation for a Brain Bee competition, among other activities.

For students such as Sonali Alluri, participating in Community Action Day is a way to further their commitment to giving back and making a positive impact.

"Volunteering is a big part of my life, so when I came to AUC, I joined Phi Chi, the medical fraternity, to continue to give back to the community. As the fraternity's volunteer coordinator, I wanted to make the most out of Community Action Day for Phi Chi and myself," said Sonali, a 2nd-semester student.

During the event, Sonali joined a group of students who provided free, confidential HIV testing and education for the island's residents.

“Community Action Day is an event the whole school looks forward to because it really allows the students and faculty to come together for the residents of Sint Maarten,” she said. “I'm proud to be part of a school where volunteering is not just a hobby, but a priority."

View more photos from Community Action Day on our Flickr album >