December 15, 2025
by Mellisse Geisha Jamora
The fourth-year students of the Asian International School of Aeronautics and Technology (AISAT) conducted a series of community outreach activities from mid-November to early December in compliance with their final examination requirement for their AVI 413 – Community Extension subject, pioneering the newly implemented community outreach system of AISAT that will be followed by the succeeding batches. This year’s batch consists of seven fourth-year sections that each devised, proposed, and defended different projects in locations near the AISAT premises to be implemented in the final quarter of the semester. Unlike previous years, where students could freely choose outreach locations, this year’s implementation centralized the activities in nearby areas to promote sustainability, accessibility, and long-term partnerships.
The outreach activities were kicked off with two sections, the AMT 4D and AMT 4C. Both sections held their programs at Mandug Day Care Center, with AMT 4D initiating the day’s event in the morning with their activity “Pathway to Hope”, while AMT 4C implemented their activity, “The Art of Hydroponic Growth,” later that afternoon. This was followed on November 29, with AMT 4B holding “Color Your Future” at Sandawa Child Development Center. On December 5, AET 4A conducted “Eco-Shoot Bin” at Sta. Ana Elementary School, and on December 7, AMT 4A visited the SOS Children’s Village and conducted their activity “Reaching out to the Orphans”. The final set of activities was held on December 11, when AMT 4E conducted their activity “Go Grow a Garden” together with AMT 4F “Sustainable Water Harvesting System” for Barangay Megkayawan.
According to Ma’am Camelle Yu, the subject’s instructor who monitored and guided all outreach activities across sections, the decision to center the outreach activities near the campus premises was guided by the three key objectives: accessibility, sustainability, and community integration. She explained that having the school focus on certain areas rather than conducting “one-off” visits can create long-term relationships. “This localized approach is intended to foster a sense of pride and shared responsibility between the student body and the local residents,” she said, adding that AISAT aims to be a “good neighbor” to surrounding communities.
The AVI 413 instructor also emphasized that the new community extension approach allows the current and the succeeding line of students to witness the long-term impact of their projects. By establishing partnerships and coordination with the same communities for several years, future batches will be able to monitor progress and improvements resulting from earlier initiatives. She noted that while the previous fourth-year students had the liberty of choosing their preferred locations farther from the campus, the new approach ensures the school resources are well utilized with efficiency and consistency.
The implementation of outreach activities followed a structured, multi-stage process. Students were involved in proposing partner communities, developing project plans, and preparing necessary documentation prior to the actual implementation. Ma’am Yu stated that this process enhances the leadership and collaboration skills of the students while also ensuring the objectives for each project are met successfully. Faculty monitoring was conducted throughout the planning and execution stages to ensure alignment with the academic and community goals.
The section AMT 4A’s leader, Jonard Hersano, shared that their community extension program at SOS Children’s Village included two separate simultaneous activities, which are the literary and livelihood components. The literary activities were meant to cater to children aged three to twelve and featured aviation-themed lessons such as identifying basic aircraft parts, flight simulations, jigsaw puzzles, and coloring activities. The livelihood component, with participants aged fifteen years and above, conducted a dishwashing liquid-making training aimed to provide the participants with an additional opportunity to generate additional income.
Hersano stated that the proximity of the location to the campus made implementation less difficult and also lessened transportation-related expenses for the students. He added that the community partner is expected to be adopted for five years, allowing future batches to continue the initiatives of the current students. While acknowledging that the limited location meant fewer communities could be reached, the AMT 4A leader highlights how the current system benefits the students by making the outreach activities more manageable.
Student participant Ranin Talib of AET 4A described her role as assisting with the documentation, certificate layout, and the speaker for the formal presentation of their output. Reflecting on the experience, Talib initially expected their section to handle a large number of students, which could be a real challenge, through coordinating with the school, they were able to work with a selected group, making the program more effective.
“I learned that this kind of work is not easy. It takes a lot of effort, responsibility, and teamwork to be able to help a community,” she said.
She advised the future fourth-year students to remain committed, actively participate, and offer support for their teammates throughout the process from the preparation to the implementation.
Ma’am Yu described the current batch of the fourth-year students as pioneers of the revised outreach model, noting that they have shifted the culture from “outreach as a trip” to “outreach as a partnership”. She added that this year’s implementation system serves as a proof of concept that will fundamentally reshape the subject syllabus, putting more emphasis on project management and sustainable community development.
The AVI 413 community extension activities concluded with all sections completing their respective projects, reinforcing AISAT’S goal of integrating technical education with social responsibility. As the pioneering batch under the revised community extension system, the fourth-year students set the foundation for future implementations that aim to strengthen AISAT’s engagement with its surrounding communities through fostering not only technically proficient but also socially responsible leaders capable of managing sustainable community development.