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Protestant students give back to community

Approximately 6,600 students who currently attend the 14 schools in the St. Albert Protestant School District did their part to give back to the community by helping those in need.
GIVING BACK
Codie McLachlan

Approximately 6,600 students who currently attend the 14 schools in the St. Albert Protestant School District did their part to give back to the community by helping those in need.

Superintendent Barry Wowk spoke about his high regard for these efforts, which take place throughout the year.

“All I can say is that I remain in awe of our students and staff in all that they do, in my mind, to give back to the community and the needy. I’m always so impressed with our youth. They are just as caring as ever. Our schools do so much,” he enthused.

Reflecting on the value of so much time and energy being occupied with extracurricular activities, he explained that there’s a greater education out there of which the students have a very strong grasp.

“Our schools take their role to develop leaders and strong citizens very seriously. I just believe that giving back to the community is a big part of becoming a strong citizen.”

Here then is a brief summary of what these schools and their students have been up to in the last few weeks.

• Sir George Simpson (Gr. 7-9): the school supported Operation Christmas Child with 100 shoebox gifts and held a collection drive for the food bank. One class volunteered at the Mustard Seed Church. The Leadership Club held a sock and glove drive (along with a class from Keenooshayo) to support the homeless. The Social Justice Team is fundraising to reach $8,500 to adopt a village in Sierra Leone as part of a program with Free the Children.

• Paul Kane (Gr. 10-12): the Change for Africa group continues to fundraise to help build classrooms for Ikonge School in Kenya, along with a water well and bathrooms. A collection of 700 pairs of children’s socks was also sent. PK also held a raffle in support of the Youth Emergency Shelter and put on a Carnaval celebration to fundraise to help build a school in Guatemala.

• Elmer S. Gish (K-9): more than 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of food and gifts were collected for the food bank and Santas Anonymous. The school compiled 200 boxes for Operation Christmas Child and 25 pairs of gloves and mitts were donated to the Coats for Kids campaign. A fundraising effort brought in $400 to provide an African family with a goat, pig, school supplies and clean water.

• Leo Nickerson (K-6): The students collected a truckload of food, clothing and toys for the Kinette Christmas hampers. They donated more than 360 kilograms (794 pounds) of food to the food bank and more than 300 shoeboxes to Operation Christmas Child. They also ‘shovel and run,’ shovelling sidewalks for those that need assistance and then running away before they are noticed.

• Ronald Harvey (K-6): The school supported both Operation Christmas Child with 150 shoe boxes and the Kinettes’ Christmas Hamper project with toys, food, and the proceeds from a mitten and hat tree. The Miracle Makers Club has been sponsoring a child in Africa through World Vision.

• Robert Rundle (K-6): The school supported the Kinette Christmas Hamper project and compiled winter weather clothing on a Mitten Tree to be donated to local people who need them.

• Keenooshayo (K-6): the school participated in the Sock and Glove Drive (along with the Leadership Club at Sir George Simpson) for the Hope Mission and collected food for the food bank.

• Wild Rose (K-6): the school collected items for the Kinette Christmas Hamper program, the Mustard Seed Church and the food bank. Some classes made cards to distribute to their neighbours in the community. The students also prepared a massive Christmas dinner for 260 people with extra food sent to the Youth Emergency Shelter.

• Sir Alexander Mackenzie (K-6): students help to clear the snow off neighbourhood driveways and sidewalks and also made Christmas cards to be delivered to adjacent houses, plus some local businesses and senior complexes. The school gathered shoeboxes for Edmonton children in need and collected mittens and hats for the Mustard Seed Church. Items were also collected for the food bank and the Kinettes’ Christmas Hamper program. Some students earned money at home and donated $475 to World Vision. Several chorus members performed for the Edmonton Institution for Women.

• William D. Cuts (Gr. 7-9): Students gathered leadership money for the food bank, as well as donations to support osteogenesis imperfecta disease research, gift baskets for Seniors in Need, volunteered at reading and helped with activities at various local schools.

• Lorne Akins (Gr. 7-9): A bake sale raised money for the food bank. The Hope Kids created a video to help educate people about water conservation. The annual student/staff charity hockey game provided the venue to collect food for the Kinettes’ Christmas Hamper program.

• Outreach (Gr. 10-12): The school held a games night to raise money for the food bank and collected bras in conjunction with a radio station’s efforts to support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. They also wrapped presents for Santas Anonymous.

• Muriel Martin (K-6): Students participated in a unique project called “Decorate a Liquor Bag” in conjunction with a high school’s Students Against Drunk Driving club’s campaign. The bags were then distributed at local liquor stores, spreading the message of safe driving. They set up a Mitten Tree to collect winter weather items like mittens, hats and scarves for the Mustard Seed Church and also collected food and toys for the Kinettes’ Christmas hampers. This included the proceeds from a Secret Santa exchange between the teachers. Students compiled more than 200 boxes for Operation Christmas Child. The school also collected food for the food bank and students delivered homemade Christmas cards to the community.

• Bellerose (Gr. 10-12): the school supported Operation Christmas Child and held food sales to buy a cow for a family in an impoverished nation and mosquito nets for countries with rampant malaria.

No information was available for the Storefront School by the time the Gazette went to press.


Scott Hayes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

About the Author: Scott Hayes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ecology and Environment Reporter at the Fitzhugh Newspaper since July 2022 under Local Journalism Initiative funding provided by News Media Canada.
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