Canadian Rotarians took the Afghanistan School Story on the Road
From September 2010 through December 2011 Rotarians from across Canada reached out to Canadian students, and shared the story of hope through education. Rotarians presented the DVD “Extending Hands of Friendship − Our School Story” − a video about building a school in Afghanistan for 4,000 boys and girls.
Both high schools and elementary schools in all provinces became a part of this valuable social justice initiative. Besides requesting a visit from a Rotarian speaker, some schools ordered Classroom Kits and included the story in their curriculums. Canadian Students got an up-close look at an Afghan community finding its way back to peace through education.
Rideau Park School - Calgary, AB
Catherine McElroy's Grade 6 students have demonstrated Rotary's mantra of "extending hands of friendship" through teamwork. The 12 year-old students learned about the country of Afghanistan, its people and the years of war they continue to endure. Recognizing the importance of education, students selected to participate in the Afghanistan School project. They took up this challenge with gusto!
The students wanted to do two things: create awareness and raise money. Students created teams to get the job done. The Sales Team was responsible for the bake sale where they sold homemade bracelets, AfghanistanSchool.ca bracelets, raffle tickets and baked goods. All funds go to the Legacy Fund which provides school supplies to the students in Afghanistan.
The Awareness Campaign Team was made up of three smaller teams. The Publicity Team made sure that information was sent to parents via newsletters, parent updates and the school website. The Poster Team designed and put posters up throughout the School. And the Presentation Team went around to all of the classrooms at the school to share a PowerPoint presentation about Afghanistan.
On Thursday, April 7, Raju Paul, Project Coordinator for the Afghan school and a Rotarian, visited the Grade 6 students to share information about the school that has been built with the support of Canadian Rotarians and the Canadian International Development Agency. A reporter from the Calgary Herald came out to learn about the Afghanistan School project and to interview the students about the work they have done to support this effort. An OMNI TV crew arrived the next day to learn more about the students' initiative to support Afghan children.
Seeing reporters in action provided students with opportunities to learn skills that are helpful in fulfilling the curriculum requirements of writing newspaper articles and media awareness. Students wrote newspaper articles from two angles: detailing the work they have been doing at school and about the work that Rotary and the government of Canada have been doing in Afghanistan. Students were also able to see firsthand the value of creating public awareness to support their global community.
In keeping with the theme for the year, "What mark will you make?" students decided that they must do something to help these children who live half way around the world - These 12year old Calgarians were deeply affected by the Afghanistan Challenge and they have certainly made their mark globally.
St. George Catholic Elementary School - Crystal Beach, ON
Mrs. Hornak's Grade 6 Class
The Afghanistan School campaign has demonstrated that one student, one classroom, one school can make a difference just through spreading awareness!
St. George Catholic Elementary School is located in Crystal Beach, Ontario - part of the Niagara Region. Mrs. Hornak's Grade 6 class ordered the FREE classroom kit and watched the School Story DVD in class. Mrs. Hornak created a lesson using the kit materials and based it on the Ontario-wide teaching model called T-LCP (Teaching, Learning, Critical Pathway - This model encourages classroom lessons to be both personal and practical with the outcome being increased student achievement.)
St. George's theme was based around the question, "How can one person make a difference?" Students used evidence from the Afghanistan School DVD along with their own ideas and created artwork and written responses to the question.
The classroom kit is being passed on to other grades at St George's Catholic Elementary School.
Some of the students created artwork to represent the Rotary's mandate "Extending Hands of Friendship".
How Can One Person Make A Difference?
Samples of student essays:
The video, Afghanistan School - Our School Story is a story about making a difference.
First, many people thought Afghanistan was all about war, but they took a closer look and the Canadian Rotarians realized kids sit on the ground in the heat or the cold in order to learn. Next, Canadian Rotarians had an idea to build a school and put together a fundraiser. The students had no chalkboards, books or pencils. Later, after enough money was raised, a school was built and all the children were so grateful. In the video, a high school boy commented, "something so small can make such a difference" for children who don't have very much.
Finally, all the boys and girls had a safe place to go to school, under a roof; even if it rained they could go to school.
This video reminds me of how one person can make a difference because one group had the idea and many people agreed that building a school in third world countries like Afghanistan was a good idea. This one idea changed many lives and the idea was from the heart.
Abbi, Gr.6 Student, St. George Catholic School
Based on the video, Afghanistan School- Our School Story, one person can make a difference. One person had an idea to build a school and that idea grew and eventually happened and became reality to the kids who had nothing. The kids went to school under a tree sitting on the ground, exposed to harsh weather, little resources and sickness and now are ecstatic to have a school building and to sit in a desk. The girls in Afghanistan before were not allowed to attend school and now there are more than 2 million. The children in Afghanistan now have better education. Through education they can get jobs such as doctors and teachers. This school also gave employment to the adults there. The Canadian Rotarians gave half the money to make a dream so far away come true to so many children worlds away from us. This reminds me of when St. George Catholic School raised money for people in Haiti last year in their time of need, just like the Canadian Rotarians helped the children from grades 1 to 12 with providing them with a great education.
Lilli, Grade 6 Student, St. George Catholic School
Based on the video, Afghanistan School, Our School Story, one person can made a difference. First, by having an idea and believing in it, just like how the Canadian Rotarians raised money to build a school in Afghanistan. In the video, the children once sat on the ground to learn. They were exposed to harsh weather and couldn't attend school if it rained. They had little resources. Now they have a school with a good education and a safe place to learn. Also, by starting a fundraiser to raise money for a cause is another way to make a difference. This reminds me of when the church takes a trip to a place to build a house or church just like how the Rotarians built the school for the kids in another world.
Emily, Gr.6 Student, St. George Catholic School
Thousand Islands Elementary School - Gananoque, Ontario
Gananoque Students Raise Record Amount for Afghanistan School
In 2010, a group of Grade 8 students from Thousand Island's Elementary school raised $5, 666 - an astounding amount which went towards furnishing classrooms in the Afghanistan school.
The students spearheaded a variety of fundraising events that have continued to support Rotary Canada's Afghanistan School campaign. Thanks to their efforts, the school raised $5,665 -an astounding amount which went towards furnishing classrooms in the completed Afghanistan school.
They had studied the novel "The Kite Runner," a story of friendship, betrayal and redemption that is set in Afghanistan and they were inspired to do more to support Afghan students. The students put together a business plan to create and sell their own wristbands to raise money. They had the opportunity to receive $500 in "seed money" from a local community foundation if they could prove that they could triple the amount. They were successful!
Students then entered a business competition called, "Change the World" and won $1,000 towards their cause. Throughout the year they held local fundraisers and had many generous donors.
Their teacher Rich Tamblyn says, "We are so happy to know that the (Afghan) school has been built and that our school's efforts will go towards a new wing in the building... I will pass on information to the students who are now in Grade 9: they are still asking about it."
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Participant Schools
