a social justice program of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation

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Project Profile

Project Title:
Hearne Helping Hands
Initiative:
School Name:
Samuel Hearne Middle School
School board / First Nations school jurisdiction:
Toronto District School Board (TDSB)
Project Theme:
Grade Level:
Subject Areas:
City:
Scarborough
Province/Territory:
Ontario
Community Partners:
Oakridge JPS - Rita Gary (Principal)
Oakridge Community Centre - Wendy Jang (recreation sup)
(Spring event - not all contacts have been confirmed yet)

Hearne Helping Hands

Our school is focused on a school-wide project that will give back to the community. We plan to organize a day where all students will choose the type of community service project they would like to complete (in groups) and spend the day making their communities better. This will be incorporated into our Global Citizenship themed unit of study for the year.

Update (October 31, 2012)

On May 23 and May 24th our grade 7 students participated in a volunteer project where they were encouraged to give back to their communities. We called this HEARNE HELPING HANDS. As a class, students brainstormed various activities they may like to participate in, and then narrowed these activities down (by voting) to the one they thought would have the most impact. Students participated in various activities such as completing a gardening project on school property, reading buddies with the kindergarten students from the junior school next door, visiting a long term care facility for students to complete tasks with, etc.

The students found these experiences very meaningful and proposed to do this project twice next year (formally).

Update (October 31, 2012)

On June 14 our grade 8 students participated in a volunteer project where they were encouraged to give back to their communities. We called this HEARNE HELPING HANDS (this was the second day, for participation by our gr 8 students). The same as our gr 7 classes, our gr 8 students brainstormed various activities they may like to participate in, and then narrowed these activities down (by voting) to the one they thought would have the most impact. Students participated in various activities such as completing a beach clean-up at Ashbridges Bay, Taylor Creek clean-up of evasive species (removal of garlic mustard weeds), Warden Woods Park clean-up of evasive species (removal of garlic mustard weeds), etc.

The students found these experiences very meaningful and many spoke of possible continuing with these project next year in high school (as part of their volunteer project.