Tag Archives: volunteering

It Starts With Me

Each year the intermediate students of our school take part in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. We bike or walk down to Point Homes, a long, rocky beach in our area, and work together to pull garbage off the beach.

I shared this video with the class the day before our Cleanup.

We had a discussion about the impact Danielle and her family were having on the environment, one small action at a time. Rather than complaining about the condition of the beach, she did something about it. She even managed to change the rules: now smoking is not allowed on the community beach.

It continues with us. The Shoreline Cleanup is a group activity that takes place all over the country and it’s satisfying because it makes a difference. Our parent community is very supportive and many volunteer to join us.

We were fortunate it was a nice day, so the walk and ride were pleasant. There was a lot of garbage to deal with, but that’s why we did it as a team.

Walk Ride Fan out Big! small Recording Teams Finding low Finding high Foam Many hands The Pile. Back to school.

Huzzahnians, I was not with you when you did the Shoreline Cleanup this year. What was is like? Did you find anything unusual? What did you notice about the types of garbage that were turning up? How did it feel to do the cleanup?

And visitors, do you do something similar where you live? How are you making a difference in your community?

Thanks for your comments!

Do Good.

We have the power to do good in the world. Through small deeds of kindness to more profound change, kids and adults can make a difference. Here is our motto this year:

 

We built this message together, first by designing and colouring puzzle pieces with images of people–young people–making a difference. Some messages are about being honest and kind, some messages are about respectful or responsible action, and some are about caring for animals and the environment.

Once complete, students had to put pieces together–in silence. This involved a lot of gesturing and flapping, and I have to say I was very entertained. They completed the puzzle more quickly than I expected. Here’s what the process looked like:

So, tell us: how do you do good in the world?