June 1, 2009
DSBN Students Team Up to Build School in Africa
Thanks to the efforts and generosity of four DSBN schools and their communities, children living in Sierra Leone will soon have a new school to learn, share and grow in. By pooling their efforts and funds, students at Laura Secord Secondary, Greendale, Lakeview and Crystal Beach Public Schools raised more than $8,500 to build a school under Free the Children’s Brick by Brick campaign.
Ever since seeing international children’s rights advocate Craig Kielburger speak at Welland Centennial in February, students at Greendale Public School had been searching for ways to get involved in the “Me to We” movement. “Our students realize that not all children have the privilege of going to school, and they were all very excited to share the gift of education with other children across the globe,” said Sue Ehgoetz, Greendale Vice-Principal.
To raise funds, nearly 50 Greendale students fasted for 30 hours back in April. “Although we had tremendous support from our school community, we were found ourselves short of our overall goal. So we thought it might be interesting to investigate whether other schools were pursuing similar initiatives and whether they would like to partner together,” said Ehgoetz.
Immediately, Lakeview and Crystal Beach Public Schools, as well as Laura Secord Secondary indicated their interest in combining efforts. “We had originally envisioned the Brick by Brick campaign as a multi-year initiative, but when we learned that other schools were also raising funds, we thought it was a fantastic opportunity to benefit children in Sierra Leone much sooner,” said Jen Miller, Lakeview Teacher. Students at Lakeview had raised money by hosting a special Arts Café in April. Students entertained their families and guests with various musical, dance, dramatic and comedic performances.
Students at Crystal Beach Public School held Saturday movie afternoons, collected pennies and sold plants in order to raise money for this worthwhile endeavour. Most recently, students began doing chores at home and in their neighbourhood in exchange for donations to the Brick by Brick campaign. “It was so inspiring to hear Craig speak in February. It helped our school become more committed than ever to creating positive change for others,” said Ann McLaughlin, Crystal Beach Teacher.
Students at Laura Secord began their association with Free the Children three years ago when they formed a “Take Action” club. Over the years students have hosted bake sales, car washes and dances. Some members have also attended the special leadership training sessions with Free the Children facilitators. “Our students are highly committed to helping those in need. Everyone was very excited to partner with other schools in our Board to get this school built sooner for the children of Sierra Leone,” said Julie Predovich, Laura Secord Teacher.
“This initiative is a great example of students and schools coming together to support a common cause,” said Ehgoetz. “Partnerships such as this demonstrate our students’ generosity, social conscience and commitment to achieving their goals.”