a social justice program of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation

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Project Profile

Project Title:
Macdonald Drive Junior High Outreach Club
Initiative:
Imagineaction Social Action Projects
School Name:
Macdonald Drive Junior High
School board / First Nations school jurisdiction:
Eastern School District
Project Theme:
  • Connect [relationships]
  • Engage [active & participatory citizenship]
  • Lead [leadership]
  • Care [poverty]
Grade Level:
7, 8, 9
Subject Areas:
Social Sciences and Humanities
City:
St. John's
Province/Territory:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Community Partners:
The Macdonald Drive Junior High Outreach Club is not partnered with any specific community organization. Rather, each month we work with a different community organization, in addition to our monthly contribution to our local women's shelter. For example, next month we will be preparing a meal for approximately 60 individuals at the Ronald McDonald House in St. John's. In December, we will be visiting a local long-term health facility to do Christmas art activities with the residents. We will also be helping to wrap gifts for the Salvation Army in December.

Macdonald Drive Junior High Outreach Club

The goal of the Macdonald Drive Junior High Outreach Club is two-fold: to undertake community-based initiatives which improve the lives of underprivileged community members and to promote community service amongst our student body. The majority of community outreach initiatives which take place in our school system are based on fundraising. Our goal is to offer our time and service to improve the lives of those in the community. For example, each month our group makes two pots of soup at lunchtime, one of which is given to a local women's shelter and the other of which is sold to the staff to pay for the following month's soup. Each month we will undertake a different initiative as described below. The students meet with their teacher sponsors each week to discuss our initiatives.

Update (September 29, 2017)

The creation of the Outreach Team at Macdonald Drive Junior High was a huge success thanks to the support of the CTF Imagineaction grant. A number of initiatives were undertaken which would not have been otherwise possible.

Ingredients for our monthly soup kitchen were purchased with the funds, as were some small supplies such as cutlery. Soup was made on a monthly basis and provided to families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in St. John's. A teacher donated a large soup pot to the program.

Members of the Outreach Team organized and facilitated a Christmas arts and crafts session at the nearby Hoyles-Escasoni Long Term Care Facility. Art supplies were purchased using the grant. Over 30 residents took part in the activity and had a wonderful time making Christmas ornaments and decorations which were later displayed in their rooms. This was also a wonderful learning opportunity for our students.

Grant funds were also used to purchase wrapping paper. Students volunteered at the Salvation Army church to help wrap Christmas gifts for the underprivileged. This was another wonderful learning opportunity for members of the Outreach Team.

All in all, the grant provided to Macdonald Drive Junior High allowed us to establish a team of community-minded young people which has made significant impacts in the local community while instilling the importance of helping others in team members and the school as a whole.