Student Life - Community Service

 

 

With the mission of raising leaders for community for 133 years, Tarsus American College develops this mindset in students from a very early age. Our students, who have internalized serving their community, become successful leaders of the future. The history of community service activities at Tarsus American College dates back to the first years of the school. A group of benevolent people who set out to enlighthen hearts and minds in Çukurova 133 years ago, wanted to promote this enlightenment not only within the boundaries of the school, but also its community. Since then, community services has been one of the inherent traditions of the school, drawing different projects and an increasing participation every year.

 

 

TAC prioritizes the need of raising well-educated and balanced individuals who work to protect and are respectful of the rights of others, with a strong belief in serving their country and humanity at large. Therefore, it promotes volunteer work which benefit the community. Altan Ünver, a TAC graduate, who has had significant contributions in the field of rural development in Turkey, leading the establishment of the Development Foundation of Turkey, is a great example in this regard.

 

 

TAC students are expected to spend at least 20 hours in community service activities throughout the academic  year. At our school, each academic department leads community service projects. Under the leadership of the Community Services Coordinator, students choose an area of interest to work under the guidance of at least one teacher advisor, and work hard until they attain desired results with the expedition, announcement of the project, fundraising and organization processes.

 

 

Throughout the academic year, the community service activities offered by TAC is increasing and restructured. In addition to projects with sustainable and long-term goals, we also aim to produce new and meaningful projects every year. Tarsus American College, which rapidly adapted to changing global circumstances in both academic and social terms, continued to touch lives through its community service projects during the shift to distance education as required by the pandemic.

 

• Teaching sports, mathematics, science and Turkish lessons to 3rd and 4th grade students of Hasan Karamehmet Primary School,
• Providing academic support in 10 different areas including English, IQ games and dance courses
• Organizing Bookmobile visits to various village schools of Tarsus and English lessons for their students
• Taking food to animal shelters in Tarsus and Mersin
• "Sister School Projects" in Kelahmet, Kaleburcu and Kanberhöyüğü villages
• Supporting Tarsus ZİÇEV School
• Spending time with pediatric patients in the oncology departments of hospitals
• Spending time and sharing with the elderly people in nursing homes and senior citizen centers
• Supporting the residents of women's shelters
• Conducting STEM and MAKERS workshops with Kaleburcu village students
• Organizing a new year party for the students of the village schools
• Performance of a play for children written and directed by TAC's IB students to the students of the village school and Hasan Karamehmet Primary School 
• Distance Orienteering Workshop and games with Hasan Karamehmet Primary School 's 3rd grade students

• Under the project titled "I am Here for You", providing books, stationery materials and board games to 63 students in Kaleburcu village who have difficulties in the distance education 
• Mangala strategy game workshops for village school students
• Story reading activities with TARSUS ZİÇEV students
• Persussion workshop with TARSUS ZİÇEV students
• Building a library with 400 books in Aliağa Village Primary School
• Hygiene kits which were produced by our students for 25 village school students.
• 23 April Celebration with new learners of sign language at TAC and young students who use sign language
• TAC presentation prepared in sign language
• Mentorship and academic support program in English offered by 11IB students for the new TAC students under "Lend a Shoulder" project