Term 1 Service-Learning Update
It has been a busy and exciting start in the world of Service-Learning at YHS this year! Here’s a brief overview of what has been going on:
Service Saturdays
On September 22, senior students volunteered their time serving lunch at Belkin House Salvation Army, teaching music to toddlers at Monroe House YWCA and participating in the Great Shoreline Clean-up at False Creek. Service Saturdays for 2012/2013 are: November 24, February 23 and April 27
Community Days
One day each month, senior students are encouraged to contribute $5 or more of their own money in order to get a ‘uniform break’ for the day and raise funds for a variety of local, national and global organizations that YHS has had a relationship with over the years.
Here’s a list of our community partners: September (Terry Fox Foundation), October (Food Bank), November (Universal Outreach Foundation), December (Covenant House), January (SEVA), February (Variety), March (Cause We Care Foundation), April (BC Children’s Hospital) and May (Canuck Place).
The Terry Fox Run was a success this year once again. Students raised approx. $3000 for the Terry Fox Foundation and the senior students had a hard time keeping up with their speedy Junior school buddies! In October, many students collected additional canned items for the Food Bank in support of Free the Children’s Scare Hunger Campaign. A special thank you to all our students (parents are thanking us!) for dropping off their ‘extra’ candy for our Shoebox Project!
School Projects
This year, each senior grade has a different project to focus on: Grade 8’s are participating in the Shoebox Project in support of the Greater Vancouver Family Services. This year, our Grade 5’s are excited to participate too!
Our Grade 9’s Project is “Essentials’ – each homeroom is to select an age group they wish to support and are asked to collect items of need and donate to the charity of their choice. Both 9A and 9H are supporting street youth and are collecting gift cards/items to be donated to Covenant House.
Grade 10’s will be busy in the Spring doing the Backpack Project and our Grade 11’s are taking turns to collect food items that can be packaged and distributed to kids who need extra food on the weekend.
Our Grade 7’s are busy too! A very special thank you to Grade 7 teacher and Junior Service Coordinator Karen Webb for developing the Grade 7 Social Responsibility Project and seeking out volunteer opportunities for Grade 7’s to engage in throughout the school year. Thank you to leaders Saskia and Anna for starting our new ‘Not For Ourselves Alone’ Board in the Junior School.
Grade 6’s are learning more about local issues through their partnership with Beauty Night. Students are decorating stockings sewed by our senior students and filling them with donated toiletries, to be given as a holiday gift to women of the downtown eastside.
At the Little School and the Junior School, students are just about to start their holiday giving projects also… so, we look forward to sharing their news next time!
Community Partnerships
Granville Park Lodge
This year, Ms. Sobieski continues our partnership by taking her Grade 1’s along with their Grade 7 buddies to Granville Park Lodge.
KidSafe Tutoring
Since September, 16 Grade 11/12 students head off to Queen Alexandra Elementary School to volunteer in an after-school tutoring program with KidSafe.
EOTO Mentorship Program
In its second year, Each One Teach One is a Mentorship program in cooperation with Saint Georges School and Admiral Seymour Elementary. Three York House students each have a buddy at Admiral Seymour and as a group, participate in a school visit or community outing with each other every month.
Monroe House, YWCA
Every month, a group of Yorkies visits Monroe House to offer a range of activities for children living at the transitional house. Our next visit is November 29!
Ronald MacDonald House, Family Dinner Program
We are excited to continue our partnership with RMH this year. Breanna is taking the lead and organizing staff and student participation in preparing and serving dinner to families staying at RMH.
For more information, please contact Lynne Stanger, Director of Global Programs and Service-Learning.
