The Brampton Guardian The Brampton Guardian The Brampton Guardian The Brampton Guardian
SEARCH SITE
The Brampton Guardian
Springdale Public School - Mr. Parliament's Grade 4 class


Story_Image

BRAMPTON - Mr. Parliament's Grade 4 class at Springdale Public School have used classroom curriculum to elevate social conscience and take action for social justice.
Classroom activities have been a springboard for student involvement with Free the Children, an organization established to free children around the world from poverty and exploitation. This network of children helping children, started by a 12-year-old Craig Kielburger in 1995, also seeks to empower youth to make positive change.
As part of the literacy program, the class read Kielburger's first published book "Free the Children" this past fall. The book generated class discussions about human rights, values and social responsibility on a global scale.
Students have spent the school year raising awareness, in school and the community, about the organization and its work.
Students began by brainstorming ways to help. One idea was to fundraise within the classroom (initially with mock money) through donations, an art auction and by selling items at a classroom general store. The plan was expanded to include the entire school in a real fundraising effort that featured an "everything-for-a-dollar" garage sale.
The students made T-shirts to advertise the event and raise awareness within the school and community, conducted lessons to teach other students about Free the Children, collected donations and made advertising to promote the garage sale.
Donations were collected from...
  

Students at local schools are distinguishing themselves as students and community members daily, but do so without seeking or receiving fanfare. The Guardian wants to acknowledge some of these young people in a special ongoing online feature called Spotlight on Students. If teachers and principals think there is a student or group of students whose achievements inside and/or outside the classroom make them standout amongst their peers and is worthy of community recognition, e-mail r.belgrave@thebramptonguardian.com with details.