International initiative at AY Jackson SS

International initiative at AY Jackson SS engages the whole school

  Student organizers of AY Jackson’s “Brick by Brick” assembly include (back row, l-r) Emma Maclean, Caleb Scheel, Mikayla Young (kneeling), Doan-Nghi Dam-Le, Alena McFaul-Freeman, Holly Arscott, Alexandra Vallieres, (front row, l-r) Melanie downs, Nicole Hutchinson, Fiona Hart, Megan Holzhuter, Natalie Selles (FTC), Chelsea Prophet, Sarah Mercer

 

The students and staff took a very simple approach to address very complex issues. In May of 2012, groups of students involved in the many clubs that support global citizenship such as the Global Action Club and Ubuntu Club conceived a superb and innovative way to engage the whole school in addressing world issues.

Using the United Nations Millennium Development Goals as a starting point, students and staff worked together to organize a whole school assembly to assist in deciding which goal the school would focus upon for the 2012-13 academic year.

With some guidance from teachers, the list of millennium goals was narrowed to four, and then groups of students planned to “sell” the idea of their chosen millennium goal to the whole school with presentations at a school assembly. Following the presentations on each of the four selected goals, the entire student body voted on which goal they wanted to support for the 2012-13 school year, and the decision was to support Universal Primary Education. Fast forward to October and students organized a kick-off to “Brick by Brick” with a goal of building a schoolhouse in Haiti through a fund raising goal of $8,500 during the current school year. Two representatives from Free the Children spoke about the importance of the project in Haiti.

Recent fundraising initiatives included a Chapters Night whereby a percentage of sales was directed to the project. Other fundraising events, such as an “Auction of Promises” where the talents of staff and students (such as making a gourmet lunch) are auctioned, will be held throughout the year to reach the goal of building a classroom in Haiti.

This project is notable for its simplicity in raising awareness about world issues and in motivating the whole school.

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