ACES is proud to award November 2015 Student of the Month to Aleksandra (“Anna”) from Serbia!
Aleksandra is an incredible example of a student with a volunteer heart. She arrived in South Dakota with the goal of breaking the ACES community service record of 400 hours and is well on her way to doing so! When ACES asked the total number of hours Aleksandra has volunteered this semester, her coordinator responded it was hard to say because Aleksandra does not tally everything she does to help her community. For example, Aleksandra did not include serving meals at a homeless shelter as volunteer hours because she enjoyed the experience so much. Aleksandra has done many other community service activities (some of which she logs and some she does not) through the Serve and Learn Student Association, through ACES, and on her own. One experience her coordinator noted she particularly enjoyed was visiting refugee families and bringing food, clothing, and freshly baked cookies to these families.
Aleksandra’s coordinator describes her approach to volunteering as such: “To Anna, volunteer hours consist of physical work. Spending time with a person and making them happy does not seem to count. . . She has a wonderful sincerity and is so genuine with her kindness and love.”
Aleksandra’s desire to get to know others and their cultures is evident in her family life as well. When asked what her favorite aspect about living with her host family is, she replied simply “spending time with them.” She finds this time enjoyable and significant, saying, “introducing my culture as well as coming to know about other cultures, learning about different religions,
becoming more tolerant about different opinion” is “very important!” In life, she says, “there are different attitudes and opinions and you must respect them all and at the same time have your own.”
ACES thanks you, Aleksandra, for your humility and your graciousness. We are proud—and hope you are too—of the representative and ambassador that you are!