On Friday, December 1, AIM Academy Upper School students will learn about sustainable development and the simple ways they can provide marginalized communities worldwide with a brighter future as they build solar lights with the founder of the international non-profit organization Liter of Light.

The visit to AIM is the only Philadelphia-area stop for Liter of Light members who are on a month-long road trip across the United States. The grass-roots non-profit is seeking to raise awareness for sustainable development issues by teaching others how to build solar lights as a solution to energy poverty. The group's Journey of Light adventure is a partnership between Liter of Light and the socio-cultural adventure series Lost & Found: Journeyman who are creating a documentary of the trip. The team consists of six individuals who are educators, documentary filmmakers and entrepreneurs from the Philippines.

At AIM, students in 9-12^th grade classes will learn about the history of the organization, which began distributing non-electric lights in the Philippines with simply a plastic bottle, water, bleach and a small piece of roofing metal, before creating their own simple and inexpensive solar-powered, plastic bottle lights.

"Liter of Light's work perfectly aligns with AIM's focus on educating students about what it means to be a global citizen, global leadership and social sustainability," said Amy Holt Cline, the director of AIM's new Center for Global Leadership. "I am eager for students to learn how easy it is for them to contribute to a global endeavor like this and to do so by actually making something with their own hands. This is one of the many hands-on methods of developing global citizenship within and beyond students' own community."

"Liter of Light is excited to work with AIM Academy as we cross the United States with our Journey of Light" says Illac Diaz, Founder of this global grassroots movement. "We started this five-continent road trip in the Philippines and South America. Now, we've arrived in the US with two objectives. First, we want share our message that each person can and must be involved in ensuring a more sustainable future, especially with clean energy. Second, we want to empower youth from across the country to create simple, grassroots solutions that will transform the lives of the communities where we work."

Cline is excited by the opportunity to bring a global organization directly to AIM and for students to experience how simple it can be to make a difference in sustainability a world away. "Our service learning projects for all students first and foremost are a learning opportunity," she explained. "During this season of light and giving it is so appropriate for our students to learn how they can bring light to others around the world."