Have you ever heard the song It’s a Small World? Some of the words are “there's so much that we share, that it's time we're aware, it's a small world after all.” That is especially true in our world today where the orange you ate for breakfast might have travelled all the way from Africa to reach your table, and your t-shirt could have been made around the world in China and your pants might have been sewn in Mexico. Have you ever imagined the face of the person who picked that orange, or touched your newly made clothes before they were shipped on a large boat, unloaded onto a big truck, and put in a big warehouse before being sent to the local store where you bought them?
Global is a word that people use when they are talking about the whole world. When we think globally, we understand that we are all connected to each other, and that our actions in our part of the world can have an impact on people far away from us. Each of us has the power to make this world a better place when we think globally and act locally.
More and more people are realizing that their choices and actions, right where they are (locally), will make a difference to other human beings far away around the globe. If we choose to buy fair-trade chocolate then chocolate farmers in Africa and South America will get a fair price for what they grow and they will be able to feed their families and send their children to school. When we use fewer fossil fuels to drive our cars and heat our homes, we put fewer greenhouse gases into the air, which is good for everybody around the world. Can you think of other examples of how choices that you make will affect people who live far away from you?
Yes, our students and teachers are making a difference!
Reverse Trick-or-Treating - ECOLE ASSINIBOINE SCHOOL
Many children trick-or-treating in our community this Halloween were treated with a sweet surprise when they opened their doors and were given a Fair Trade chocolate as opposed to regular Halloween candy.
A student from Mme Chapdelaine's Grade Two classroom did a radio interview for CBC radio describing her family's "reverse trick-or-treating" this year. This is a concept developed by Global Exchange in which children politely decline chocolate when trick-or-treating door to door, and instead offer a piece of "fair trade" chocolate and a small leaflet. What a fantastic way to support social justice initiatives in our community and congratulations to Gwynne and her family! To learn more about this initiative, please visit www.globalexchange.org. (October, 2009)
Le commerce équitable - ÉCOLE GOLDEN GATE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Cette année pour l’halloween j’ai fait quelque chose un peu différente.
Les chocolats du commerce équitable indiquent que les fèves de cocoa étaient ramassées par un fermier, et la compagnie lui a donné un prix juste. Si les chocolats ne sont pas du commerce équitable ça veut dire que les fèves de cocoa étaient ramassées par les enfants ou les jeunes adultes. Et la companie ne leur donne rien ou un peu d’argent. Les élèves qui travaillent aux fermes ne vont pas à l’école, ou ils ont les blessures qui ne sont pas soignées. Les enfants de ces fermes son l’abusés, et parfois ils travaillent pour 15 heures chaque jour. Moi et deux de mes amis sommes allées aux maisons d’autres personnes et nous leur avons donné un peu de chocolat du commerce équitable avec de l’information au sujet de ce qui passe aux fermes du commerce equitable et les fermes qui ne sont pas du commerce équitable. Je pense que c’est une bonne chose parce que l’halloween est une célébration que tous les élèves du monde doivent apprécier. Nous ne sommes que 3 élèves, nous ne pouvons pas changer le monde, mais bien sûr nous pouvons l’aider. Alors, cet halloween quand tu prends une bouchée de chocolat pense aux élèves qui travaillent aux les fermes qui ne sont pas du commerce équitable. Pensez au commerce équitable. L'auteure de cet extrait s'appelle Libby Carey, une étudiante en 7ième année. Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez contacter M Scott Thomson, Directeur adjoint.(décembre, 2009)
Reuse and Reduce - Halloween Costume Swap at ASSINIBOINE SCHOOL
The Assiniboine School community made a difference in the lives of Winnipeg's less fortunate this Halloween while protecting our environment at the same time!
Families were invited to bring in their used Halloween costumes throughout the week of October 13 - 16 and then attend the Costume Swap on Wednesday, October 21. If a family donated a costume, they were allowed to pick a costume, if they brought in two, they chose two, and so on. The event was very well received and many parents thought it was a great idea because they did not have to purchase yet another costume for their child this year, thus helping reduce consumption. All extra costumes were donated to a Winnipeg Inner City Children's Program supported by the Salvation Army. To learn more about this initiative, please contact Roné Boyko, Vice-Principal, École Assiniboine. (October, 2009)
The Ness Green Team will be sewing some reusable bags made of t-shirts that are no longer being worn to at our winter concert. Proceeds from their sale will be sent to the Canadian International Development Agency to help purchase mosquito nets for the children in Africa who are plagued with malaria.
Staff and students at Ness Middle School are taking great strides to have our students become more aware of the need to protect our environment. This year, we attended the second annual St. James-Assiniboia School Division Environmental Youth Forum and set some Green Goals for the year. To learn more about this initiative, please contact Kevin Dueck, Principal of Ness Middle School.
Phoenix School's visual arts teacher, Mrs. Adams, found a website called Pinwheels for Peace. Pinwheels for Peace is an art installation project started in 2005 by two American art teachers as a way for students to express their feelings about what’s going on in the world and in their lives.
A pinwheel is a childhood symbol – it reminds us of a time when things were simple, joyful, peaceful. The idea was that students would create pinwheels and write their thoughts about war and peace / tolerance/ living in harmony with others on one side. On the other side, they could draw, paint or collage, to visually express their feelings. They would then assemble on the International Day of Peace for everyone to plant the pinwheels outside as a public statement and art exhibit/installation. The spinning of the pinwheels in the wind would spread thoughts and feelings about peace throughout the country and the world. These Mrs. Adams thought the Pinwheels for Peace project sounded like a great idea for Phoenix School and Manitoba was not yet represented on their website, www.pinwheelsforpeace.com. Registering the school began a journey into how to keep peace. The children decided it was important to keep peace at home and at school if they are to learn about peace around the world. Students made their pinwheels and on September 21, 2008, the International Day of Peace, had a celebration in front of the flower garden they had planted in the spring. They sang and as their voices rose, the wind took their messages of peace around the world. To learn more about this initiative, please contact Mrs. Adams, Visual Arts Teacher at Phoenix School. (2008)
A big, green high five (thank you!) to all admin teams for helping to profile local sustainable development school activities on myEcoSchool during the 2009/10 school year. We can learn from each other by reading the stories on myEcoSchool. Each of us has the power to make a positive difference in the world when we think globally and act locally.
Division Holds Third Annual Youth Forum
On Monday, October 5th, the St. James-Assiniboia School Division hosted an educational and engaging day on the theme ofSocial Justice involving 100 student and staff champions and many guest speakers from a range of organizations in the community. SJASD also launched a new tool in their sustainable development program: the educational and networking website called myEcoSchool.com. During the launch, the students demonstrated the actions they are already taking to make the planet better. With their knowledge gained at the forum and through profiling their initiatives on myEcoschool.com, these students will inspire others to make a difference and help to shape a better future for all of us.
Last year, on October 8th, 2008 student representatives from all schools across the Division came together for the second annual Youth Forum on Sustainable Living. Students and staff champions attended workshops presented by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Resource Conservation Manitoba and Climate Change Connection. They learned about the role Canadians are taking in International development and how young people can get involved. They also received information on how our climate is changing, the implications of this, and what we can do to make changes. Finally, students came to a better understanding of consumerism and how our personal consumption effects us local and globally. In the afternoon, students and staff engaged in school-based planning of sustainable living initiatives. The idea was for students and staff to transfer their knowledge of global issues into their everyday actions by acknowledging our responsibilities to the planet and to each other. The staff champions and student representatives returned to their schools ready to start to implement their action plans throughout the school year. By giving our students a voice, we believe they will “think globally and act locally in their daily lives”. We believe we can make a difference. (October 2008)
