Today I learned that I can take action to change the world. And change takes time, but it’ll be worth it. By doing a small part we can make a huge difference. And you don’t have to do it yourself, so many other people want to help, they just don’t know what they could do, so it’s our job to help them.
Winnie
That is just one of the lessons that several of our Forest Green and CFL students and staff learned at We Day on October 24, 2012.
Our students, along with 18,000 others from around Alberta had a fantastic time at We Day in Calgary. To read more about this experience, see our 184 Days of Learning Blog - Day 37: Minga Club, Forest Green School.
33 Students From Forest Green and CFL Attending We Day!!
10/22/2012
Forest Green School and Connections For Learning are sending 33 Grade 6-12 students to attend We Day in Calgary on October 24!
At We Day, young people from across North America join together to celebrate the positive actions they are taking and to build the momentum of youth making a difference in their communities and world wide.
Here's how our students have earned their way to We Day
Forest Green School - The Minga Club
The Minga Club is a group of Grade 6 students who are actively involved in coordinating to support local and international causes. The word “Minga” is a SriLankan word meaning a community that comes together for the greater good. Kind of like a barn raising of days gone by a Minga event might look like raising the roof on a school, cleaning up a neighborhood or working together to dig a fresh-water well.
The Minga Club has undertaken three main projects so far this year, they have:
- Organized a neighborhood food drive and collected over 1760 kg. of food for the foodbank.
- Taken over and are organizing a Terra cycling program in the school. Terra cycling involves collecting and up cycling specific items to create new items rather than contributing to the landfill. Collectible items include: sandwich bags, Tassimo cups and cell phones to name a few.
- Taken on the School yard and park fall clean up.
Future plans for the Minga Club are to:
- Expand the Terra Cycling program to make Forest Green School a collection site for specific Terra Cycling items. Community members can drop off old cell phones at the school during school hours.
- Raise funds for Free the Children through a bake sale to be held later in the school year.
- Create and coordinate a visiting program for seniors in our community.
Connections for Learning - The Leaders for Change (LFC)
The Leaders for Change is a group of dedicated students who focus their efforts around fundraising through hot lunch sales. The group researches worthy causes based on criteria that they set and review annually. Their raised money goes towards local and international causes. They have supported local causes such as a women’s shelter, the food bank and the SPCA.
Internationally, they have supported KIVA which is a micro financing organization, that lends money to individuals or groups of people in the third and developing world to assist them in starting local businesses. These funds are lent and repaid to KIVA. Our students then have the opportunity to decide where they will reinvest their funds to support other projects. A very high percentage of these grass roots businesses succeed. Projects supported by KIVA are making a difference all over globe. This is truly a gift that keeps on giving.
“Kiva lenders combat poverty daily by making small loans to borrowers around the world. We believe in fair access to affordable capital for people to improve their own lives. Often only a relatively small amount of money stands in the way of Kiva borrowers and their dreams.” Kiva website
The LCF Group also supports the work of other classes and programs in CFL and Forest Green. Last school year gently used shoes were collected and delivered to needy children in South Africa. The Happy Feet campaign was a stomping success. The LCF group also assisted Forest Green in collecting tens of thousands of beverage container pull tabs in support of the Ronald McDonald House.
Thanks to our Local Supporters!
Our thanks go out to our local MacDonald’s restaurants and our local Co-op for their generous support in our projects. MacDonald’s will fill our tummies as we hit the highway at 4am on October 24, 2012 enroute for We Day in Calgary. The Co-op has provided snacks for our return trip later that day.
I am so excited for our students to participate in We Day this year and look forward to the meaningful work that will come from it.
Mike Hubick
Principal - Connections for Learning & Forest Green School
Phone: 780-963-7366