Community service is one of the key components of each NSLI-Y program. Below are a couple examples of previous community service activities from some of the summer 2016 NSLI-Y China programs.
Xiamen: Cleaning Up Xiamen University Campus
To help raise awareness for environmental protection, the University of Delaware NSLI-Y students organized a “Green Drive”, one of the three planned community service activities on the campus of Xiamen University in July. The students, in five groups, helped clean up the central campus around the beautiful Hibiscus Lake. The “Green Drive” was highly praised by the campus community and instantly became the focus of local attention.
Xiamen: Straightening Bikes on Campus
During the second Green Drive activity, the University of Delaware NSLI-Y students worked in their teams to help straighten up the many bikes around campus that were disorganized or had fallen over, causing inconvenience to the campus community. The enthusiastic students scoured the area around the dining hall and the university’s famous Furong Tunnel for bikes to pick up. The students reported having straightened up over 200 bikes across their five teams! Donned in the blue and green NSLI-Y T-shirts, the students quickly became the center of attention on Xiamen University's campus, drawing applause from students, faculty and staff, as well as local residents. One student remarked: “I am proud of doing community service that makes people happy.”
Shanghai: Volunteering at a Summer Camp
During the last week of the 2016 University of Minnesota NSLI-Y summer program in Shanghai, the NSLI-Y students completed their third community service activity. The students went to a Chinese summer camp for elementary students and had a fun afternoon with the students, playing games and making crafts together. The NSLI-Y students also helped the Chinese students practice their English, and the Chinese students helped the NSLI-Y students with their Chinese. Many new friendships were formed.