Service-Learning

Service Learning Opportunities:

COBIS Changemakers Competition

Whole School Fundraising events 2025-26:

Winter Bazaar 2025:

When: 5th December, 2-3.30pm Where: Primary - base rooms; Secondary - sport field Why: to fundraise for the SL projects @ TC

All: You can sell: old books, sports equipment, toys and more! You will donate 50% of your earnings to a team in the school, secondary students - depending on the house. You are more than welcome to donate more of your earnings to support one of the teams below!

Middle school: each class can have a stand, and they will be split on houses.

Blue Wolves donate to Alphatronic, raising money for outreaches and for creating one of the best innovative, creative and high performing robot.
Red Bears donate to Tășu project - raising money for two houses in Proștița that are currently being renovated, so in the near future, they become available for travelers.
Golden Eagles donate to Eco Team, raising funds to support the Netherlands exchange, that will take place in February 2026.

High school students: if you are not part of a team, you can also sell as a class/individuals, divided in houses, please write an email to mara.cocoara@studentmail.transylvania-college.ro if you or your class decides to sell so that we can prepare a stand for you. You will also have to donate 50% of your earnings , but you are welcome to help with more!

Service-Learning projects @ TC 2025-2026:

Kindergarten SL project: "Mușatinii "

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

End in Mind / Project aim: To help children understand the value of kindness, responsibility, and community involvement by supporting Asociația Mușatinii Roman in their mission to offer educational and emotional support to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our main goal is to contribute to the association’s fundraising effort for a new minibus, enabling them to continue organizing social activities and camps for these children.

The identified need is: Asociația Mușatinii requires a new minibus to safely transport children from vulnerable communities to daily learning activities, development programs, and social camps. Without a functioning vehicle, their ability to reach these children and provide support is significantly limited.

Beneficiaries & partners: Children from disadvantaged communities in the Roman area who rely on the association for educational, emotional, and social support.

Reflection: Through this project, children learn that even small actions—such as contributing a symbolic amount or donating shoes and clothing—can make a meaningful difference in someone else’s life. They also practice empathy, generosity, and community responsibility, seeing firsthand how collective effort leads to positive impact. As educators, we reflect on the importance of modeling service, gratitude, and leadership through real-life actions.

Families, too, are invited to reflect on the value of giving back and strengthening community ties through kindness.

Coordinator: Melinda Szalontai

Primary SL project: "Bring Joy"

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

End in Mind / Project aim: Developing confidence and self-esteem, developing personal leadership skills and acquiring emotional self-regulation strategies necessary to overcome personal trauma and feelings of abandonment.

The identified need is: to connect and socialize outside their small communities.

Beneficiaries & partners: TC Primary students interact with children are aged 7-15 from disadvantaged social backgrounds. Augustina and Ece Homo foundations contributed to the success of the project.

The project is flourishing from each year to the next one:

2022-23 school year _ Every Child Day Center, Casuta Bucuriei foster home
2023-24 school year _ new target groups added: "a-mic" foster home & Petelea Kindergarten from Mures County
2024-25 _ Every Child Day Center, Casuta Bucuriei foster home, "a-mic" foster home

Reflection:

The students are more courageous in communication and more open to relationships. The beneficiaries want to continue the project in the next school year, which will include more visits to our school. The partners are more open to supporting the project and to find other partners.

TC students use their academic and leadership skills in community engagement, become aware of different social environments, increase their level of empathy, initiative and involvement in helping the children in the target group feel accepted and included. Among the most important objectives achieved so far: planning and organizing fundraising activities, modeling the 7 habits, practicing collaboration, inclusion and compassion, critical and creative thinking, communication and finding solutions.

Mathematics, Science, Geography, Art & Crafts, Music,, Wellbeing, Leadership, Romanian and English were the curricular subjects that contributed to the project. Students had various leadership roles during the project design and implementation.

Award: Bring Joy was awarded the 3rd prize for primary schools category, at national level, in the Regional Service Learning Awards for Central and South-Eastern Europe _ RSLA 2024

The end in mind for 2025-2026 is ...to continue the activities together, for mutual learning and growth. Connect this project with a part of the Alphatronic - robotics project in order to offer new skills, motivation and opportunities to the children.

Coordinators: Anca Nealcoș, Oana Rădulescu, Erika Farkas

Via Transylvanica SL project: "Tășu"

Tasuleasa Power Force - Service Weekend 21-23 November 2026

Via Transilvanica Hospitality Campus

This weekend, a few students from the TC Tasuleasa Team, together with two students on the TC Hybrid Line, and some parents went on a service trip to Copsa Mica, to help with working around the two saxon houses which are being refurbished and reporposed as a Via Tranilvanica hospitality campus.

We worked hard, discovered the area, played a lot and overall we had a great time bonding!

Twin Mufti Day

On Tuesday, the 7th of October 2025, Tășu Team is organising a mufti day with the theme ‘Twin Day’, this meaning you can dress up as you want if you are matching with one or multiple people!

The fee is 10 lei, we will use the money for supporting the reconstruction of two houses at Târnavioara (on Via Transilvanica).

We hope you will find your twin as Transylvania College found hers, Via Transilvanica!

Please be aware that the dress code does not allow crop tops, ripped jeans or very short skirts!

P.S. Try even to arrive at school at the same time with your twin/ twins, so you can show off your outfits!

The Tășuneii Team will have the opportunity to present to UP & MS students their involvement in the Tășu project and their experience at the Tășuleasa Social campus (here). This was also shared during the Youth Leadership Encounter, Istanbul, 2024.

Thank you! Love,

Tășu Team

TĂȘU PROJECT DESCRIPTION

End in mind: Support Tasuleasa Social in their involvement through developing teams of student volunteers . Via Transilvanica - Environmental and Social projects.

The identified need is: build a network fos sustenability of the disadvantaged communities on Via T

Global Goals addressed: Sustainable communities; Climate action; Partnership for the goals; Industry, innovation and infrastructure

The project is growing from each year to the next one:

2019 - Tășu DeepSky Observatory
2020 - building awareness, fundraising
2021 - hikes, promotion, raising awareness, fundraising
2022 - road parents 10km, Via T innauguration, camps & DoE trips in Cioclovina, Santa's Truckers (yearly), community events for raising awareness, starting Duke of Edinburgh projects related to Via T
2023 - movie screening "Oamenii Drumului", Tășu Parents group, Ziua Buna pe Via Transilvanica (yearly), high school students volunteering at Tășuleasa Social campus
2024 - book launch: "Povești de pe Via adunate și de Trupa ilustrate"; Mentoring "Tășuneii" - building up a young team for raising awareness and for sustainability, Tășuneii camp in Tășuleasa social, volunteering at the campus
2025 - movie screening "Apa și Talpa", volunteering at the campus

Beneficiaries & partners: rural or disadvantaged communities on Via Transilvanica; Tășuleasa Social; local authorities, NGOs, companies and businesses șupporting the project; students, parents, network of student teams at national and international level.

Reflection:

Tășu team is formed of high school students passioned about nature, hiking, richness of cultural patrimony. They are motivated to lead activities in order to increase the awareness and create sustainable networks around the disadvantaged communities along the 1400 km of the "Road that unites".

Several curricular subjects contribute to the success of the project: languages, maths, history, geography, biology, physics, chemistry, art, media studies, sociology, physical education, etc.

Award: winner of the ISA short movie competition, Youth Leadership Encounter / YLE 2024

End in mind for 2025-2026: ... to continue to build and extend the network fos sustenability of the disadvantaged communities on Via T.

Student Leader: Ariana Romaniuc; Student Mentor: Maia Herman

Teacher Coordinator: Mihaela Romaniuc

Alphatronic SL project: “Inspire future innovators - Robotics Club from idea to reality”

Alphatronic @ Royal Evening dedicated to Civic Courage

The Head of Her Majesty's Household, authorized by the Custodian of the Crown, organized the Royal Evening dedicated to Civic Courage, in the presence of Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown and His Royal Highness Prince Radu, as well as Her Royal Highness Princess Sofia. The event took place in the State Dining Room of the Royal Palace, on Monday, December 8, 2025. Two Alphatronic representatives were invited to the event where the team was awarded .

The theme of this year's edition was "Education: Courage, Performance, Civics" and honored outstanding Romanian Olympic and Paralympic students and athletes in international competitions, teachers, educational institutions, civic organizations and foundations from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, who have distinguished themselves through courage in promoting education, civic involvement, solidarity and support for vulnerable communities, thus contributing to the formation of an educated and responsible society.

This project was presented during the Youth Leadership Encounter, at Florida International University, Miami, 2025, Oct 26-Nov 1st.

The students presented the FTC values, explained the ecological aspects implemented through robot design and the service-learning project & outreach program.

On November 4th 2025, the team mentor, Miss Gabriela Iușan, was invited to participate in the Regional Service Learning Award Ceremony for Central and South Eastern Europe, held in Tuzla, Bosnia & Herzegovina to receive the international recognition: https://rslaward.eu/ .

The information about RSLA was also published on our mentor's web page, CLAYSS, with a special mention: "We congratulate all the participants and winners, as well as Transylvania College, which, in addition to being a winner, was a great ally throughout the programme’s development." https://www.clayss.org/en/networks-11-25/ .

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

End in mind/ Aim: The project “Inspire future innovators - Robotics Club from idea to reality” is intended to improve the chances of education in the field of robotics for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, to inspire, identify potential, contribute to the acquisition of specific skills and increase motivation.

Need: carrying out educational and mentoring activities to share experience, indentify potential, build capacity and promote equal opportunities in the technological field, especially among students from vulnerable backgrounds or with disabilities.

Beneficiaries & partners: The initiators of the project are 23 high school students and 3 teachers; 3500 direct beneficiaries; 220 community partners.

Reflection:

Alphatronic robotics sessions started in 2023. TC students, coordinated by teachers Gabriela Iusan, Flaviu Cherecheș and Călin Grigorovici. had as the team's mission to promote excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, proven by their active participation in national and international robotics competitions (such as First Tech Challenge), where they achieved remarkable results.

The team has advanced skills in robotics design and engineering, programming and the development of innovative technical solutions, being also a model of leadership, creativity and inclusion in the community.

The SL project journey started in 2024. Through over 50 outreach activities, workshops, demonstrations, the Alphatronic team supported the initiation and development of robotics clubs in schools, mentored teams of students, created and made available to teachers a curriculum and auxiliary resources for the robotics club, and supported their training course, in collaboration with the Teachers Training County Center (CCD).

Students had leadership roles on 4 categories, with clear motivation, role & specific tasks, reflection on growth; recruitment strategies, sustainability.

Awards:

Beside the specific robotics awards received in national and international competitions, the project team also received the Inspire award - for efforts within their community, demonstrating their work and inspiring others, for embodying the spirit of the program, acting as a role model for other teams and demonstrating excellence in various judged categories.

This award recognizes teams that are well-rounded, demonstrating strong performance in robot design, engineering, outreach, and gracious professionalism. Previously, the team must be a strong contender for several other judged awards, including the Think Award, Team Attributes Award, Machine, Creativity and Innovation Award, which this team did. This Inspire award demonstrates a strong overall performance in areas like robot design, engineering notebook, and outreach efforts.

Inspire Future Innovators. The Robotics club from idea to reality_ 1st prize - high school, national level, and the 2nd prize at international level - Regional Service Learnin Awards 2025 for Central and South-Eastern Europe

Please visit here the Alphatronic website and Alphatronic 2024-2025 school year's achievements.

The End in mind for 2025-2026 is ... to build levels of sustainability for inspiring future innovators by offering specific activities, tools and mentorship and also by modeling FTC values.

You are also invited to see their STEAM activities 2025-2026 here.

Student Leader: Sofia Manyet; Student Mentor: Alex Ciornai

Teacher Coordinator: Gabriela Iusan

MS Lighthouse team SL project: "Mount Cacovei"

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

End in Mind / Project aim: support the Mount Cacovei elderly in preserving the oral history traditions; provide support for basic needs both physical and emotional

The identified need is: The population of this mountain village is getting older and older, more and more isolated. They have difficulties in providing basic food products, wood for the fire, etc and also in finding someone to relate to.

Beneficiaries & partners: TC middle school lighthouse team have already a tradition in communicating perriodically with these villagers, they organize campaigns for raising awareness and developing empathy, fundraising events throughout the year in order to support them. Local authorities, small businesses, local school also contributes to the project. The elderly look forward for each interaction with our students.

Reflection:

Students practice the 7 habits: be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put firts things first - establishing a plan, thinking ahead, following the steps for project implementation. Also, they think win-win, seek first to understand and sinergize when relating to each other or with the beneficiaries and project partners.

Several curricular subjects contribute to the project: romanian and English, Maths, Biology, History, Geography, Arts & crafts, PE, Music, Civics.

End in mind for 2025-26: ... to continue to offer support to the elderly in preserving the oral history traditions and also for basic needs, both physical and emotional

Student Leader: ...

Teacher Coordinator: Alexandra Oana

Debate SL project: a 2025-26 initiative

We welcome here The Debate Team, initiating a new Service-Learning project, inspired by the Alphatronic team. They start building awareness related to the importance of having a voice and using it wisely for the benefit of others.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

End in Mind / Project aim: support students and teachers in practicing public speaking and debate skills and establishing debate clubs

The identified need is: Civic engagement, taking collective action to improve a community. Need to build advocacy skills, related to a specific type of civic engagement that involves actively supporting a cause or policy to create change. Encourage a dynamic approach to contributing to society through activities like voting, volunteering, and lobbying, with the goal of influencing policy and addressing public concerns.

Beneficiaries & partners: In partnership with Debate teams from private schools in Romania and international schools, we aim to raise awareness in public schools from small cities and rural areas related to the benefits of practicing debate sckills and using them for the benefit of their communities.

Reflection: we are only at the very start of this initiative, gathering our previous experience in the field and using it for the benefit of many. Debate skills are essential for effective civic engagement and advocacy because they provide the foundational tools necessary to analyze complex issues, communicate persuasively, and engage respectfully with diverse viewpoints. They transform passive observers into informed, articulate, and action-oriented citizens.

Student Leader: ...

Teacher Coordinator: Alexandra Oana

photos coming soon

.... SL project ... new initiative ... ??

Celebrating 10 years of Service-Learning @ TC

What is Service-Learning?

Our mentor in Service Learning is CLAYSS https://www.clayss.org/

Service learning is an educational approach that combines academic learning with meaningful community service, creating a structured experience for students to address community needs, together with the community and to reflect on their experiences. It is a cycle of learning, acting, and reflecting, where students apply classroom theory in real-world situations, deepen their understanding of academic content, develop career skills, and grow in their civic and social responsibility.

CLAYSS supports SL implementation in European countries:

https://www.clayss.org/en/support-programmes/central-and-eastern-europe/

SL Resources: https://www.clayss.org/en/resources/

3 key characteristics of a Service-Learning project:

Focus on finding and applying solutions related to a need in the community, working together with the target community and various partners (horizontal solidarity)
Student leadership in all stages of the project
Intentional link with the curriculum (learning objectives and content connected with and contributing to the success of the service activities, skills, competencies, integrated approach, cross-curricular learning, critical and creative thinking, reflection, feedback, monitoring progress; problem based learning, project based learning, design thinking).

Beginnings & previous Service-Learning projects @ TC :

2015 _ CLAYSS - Centro Latinoamericano de Aprendizaje y Servicio Solidario / Latin American Center for Service-Learning, from Buenos Aires, Argentina (https://www.clayss.org/en/) - introduced the topic of service-learning to educators from different countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

2016 _ participation in the first Service-Learning meeting coordinated by CLAYSS, in Vienna, 1 TC teacher

2017 February-June _“Development of Service Learning Projects” online course delivered by CLAYSS, Argentina, 3 TC teachers
2017 October _ The 1st Service-Learning Week for Central & Eastern Europe and Service-Learning Mentor course in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina, 2 TC teachers
2017-2018 _ implementing Service-Learning projects in Transylvania College based on CLAYSS Service-Learning methodology:
- - “Revive the nature related traditions! - Baisoara”, winner of the Global Social Leaders SDG Competition 2017-2018, organized by COBIS & Future Foundations. Collaboration with Holy Innocents Episcopal School (HIES), Atlanta, USA: “From Roots to Branches”, coordinator: Jim Barton
  - “Chess the Community!” - one of the 10 finalists in Global Social Leaders SDG Competition 2017-2018
  - “10 for Cluj" Excellence Gala 2018 _ Award: Social involvement

2018-2019 _ Implementing Service-Learning projects in Transylvania College based on CLAYSS Service-Learning methodology:
- - “From Root to Fruit!” - Cooperation Award in the Global Social Leaders SDG Competition 2018-2019. The oral history project multiplied in 4 villages around Cluj-Napoca.
  - “10 for Cluj" Excellence Gala 2019 _ Award: Innovation in Education

2019, May _ Round Square Discovery Framework & Service-Learning workshop - Prem Tinsulanonda School, Thailand; sharing best practices in Service-Learning and contributing to local projects, 2 TC teachers
2019, July _ Contribution to organizing, participating in The 2nd Service-Learning Week for Central & Eastern Europe in Cluj Napoca (training for trainers, project exhibition, visit SL projects, conference, network meeting), Cluj Napoca. The international participants also visited one of the beneficiaries of the SL project “From Root to Fruit”, shared as best practice during the conference

2020 _ Training for Evaluators of the Regional Service-Learning Award for Central and Eastern Europe (RSLA) - online course by CLAYSS, Argentina and MIOS, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2 TC teachers

_ The 3rd Service-Learning Week for Central & Eastern Europe Matej Bel University, Bratislava, Slovakia & CLAYSS, Argentina - online participation

_ The 23rd International Service-Learning Conference, Buenos Aires, Argentina - online participation

_ The Innovative Education Forum, Lviv, Ukraine (INED 2020) - December 12th - online participation

2021 _ “Development of Service Learning Projects” online course delivered by CLAYSS, Argentina - 2 TC teachers and 1 student

_ The 4th Service-Learning Week in Central and Eastern Europe, Prizren, Kosovo, 1 TC teacher

_ Publication: Service-Learning local impact projects in Central and Eastern Europe _coauthors: Candelaria Ferrara & Simina Bejenaru; general coordination by Luz Mariela Avruj; María Nieves Tapia. Buenos Aires, Ediciones CLAYSS, 2021; ISBN 978-987-4487-24-7.

(chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.clayss.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ENG_CEE_Impact.pdf )

2022 _ The 25th Global Service-Learning Conference, organized by CLAYSS, in Buenos Aires Argentina, 2 teachers

_ Publication: “Story of a network weaving experience: Management report on the program for the Promotion of Service Learning in central and Eastern Europe 2016-2022” / Luz Avruj ; Alejandra Batista ; coordinación general de Luz Avruj. - 1a ed. - Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: CLAYSS, 2022., ISBN 978-987-4487-34-6.

(https://www.clayss.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ENG_CEE_network_weaving.pdf)

2022 February-June _ “Development of Service Learning Projects” online course delivered by CLAYSS, Argentina - 4 TC teachers
Service-Learning concepts promoted in the School of Trust national program (50 schools/year, starting 2022)
Other SL projects developed in TC 2022-2025:
- - St. Onufrie Center, Floresti - developing empathy, interactions: children and animals
  - Kozmutza Flora - wellbeing activities & playground for the auditor impaired children and special needs
  - Amicii Dog Centre - learning about dogs, website, fundraising to provide basic needs
  - Elderly Centre - activities together, build empathy
  - Casuta Bucuriei foster home & Every Child Day Center - activities with children, hygiene campaigns, fundraising
  - Daia Romăna - oral history, touristic potential, community building; can be multiplied on Via Transilvanica & Schools of Trust
  - Doștat - emotional and learning wellbeing of children in rural area on Via T
  - Baisoara - oral history, traditions, reading workshops
  - Pata Rât - human rights, values, workshops together
  - Tasuleasa - Via Transilvanica; Tree planting Environment; Santa's Truckers
  - Arca lui Noe - dog shelter, care, cleaning and interaction
Latest awards:
- Bring Joy _ 3rd prize - primary, national level, Regional Service Learning Awards for Central and South-Eastern Europe _ RSLA 2024
- Via Transilvanica _ winner of the ISA short movie competition, Youth Leadership Encounter / YLE 2024
- Inspire Future Innovators. The Robotics club from idea to reality _ 1st prize - high school, national level, and finalist at international level RSLA 2025

For a glimpse of our previous year's celebrations related to GA and Service-Learning, please visit our 2024-25 Celebrations page.

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