On May 19, 2012, the Yale Club of Beijing and Princeton Alumni Association of Beijing volunteers arrived at a migrant school to begin their Annual Day of Service. Both organizations chose to partner with ABC to help clean the school’s dining area. The event brought together 14 members from both organizations and 16 migrant youth to generate a teamwork mentality and fun-spirited atmosphere. With their affable personalities and youthful character, the volunteers quickly gained the trust of the students through several rounds of icebreakers. With energy in the air, the volunteers and students were then divided into four different teams, each assigned to clean a section of the dining area.
Working alongside the older role models and leaders, the migrant students, ranging from 10-12 years old, quickly realized the true meaning of the word “team” that extended beyond the boundaries of their own group. Instead of simply cleaning their individual areas, the four teams ended up collaborating with other groups. The dining area was left sparkling clean for about 500 students and teachers, and most of the remaining supplies were donated to the school. Successfully bridging two worlds into one, ABC’s CONNECT program accomplished its goal to serve the underprivileged.
