Students at Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS) are learning what it truly means to give back to their community.
Through the Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), Grade 9 students are learning more about the organizations that are in the Lakeland, and what they mean to those who need them most.
For students like Ella Baxter, the project was personal.
Baxter and her group did their presentation on the Bonnyville Indian-Métis Rehabilitation Centre.
“It has personally affected me a lot. My family has struggled through it. My dad is nine-months sober,” she said. “It's very important to me, and I feel like it's very important to others because maybe they aren't ready to admit to themselves they have an addiction.”
Through the YPI, Baxter was able to share the importance of this organization, along with dozens of other students presenting on other charities.
“I think it's very important to learn about what's going on in our community, the problems that we face as a community, and how different charities in our location need help,” expressed Cassie Christians, a Grade 9 student who presented on the Bonnyville Native Friendship Centre.
Other groups presented on the Lakeland Centre for FASD, the Dragonfly Centre, and the Bonnyville and District Literacy Society, among others.
Students of BCHS have been taking part in the YPI for 14-years.
“The YPI is an initiative where our Grade 9 students every year have researched charities in the Lakeland area that help make an impact in the social service sector,” explained BCHS teacher Elizabeth-Ann Switzer.
According to Switzer, the students learn about the charities in the area before putting in a request for the one they would like to represent.
“They're then tasked with contacting the charity, researching about the problem the charity addresses, they volunteer their time, and they really get involved. At the end, the put together a presentation they present in front of their peers and a panel of judges to try and win $5,000 to give back to their charity,” she added.
This year, the students presenting on-behalf of the Bonnyville Search and Rescue proved their organization was worthy of the $5,000 cheque.
“I'm so happy. They truly deserve this. It's going to help them in so many ways,” said Kelly Bower, one of the group members who presented on the winning organization.
The students had worked hard to learn as much as they could about their charity, and were surprised by the efforts put in by the volunteers.
“It was so fantastic to see what they can do. Everybody in that charity is so dedicated to what they're doing,” Bower expressed. “It takes a lot. It's not only that you have to have the proper training courses; you need to know how to deal with the victims that you find. That's extremely important.”
For Switzer, the YPI is an opportunity for the students to get a better understanding of what is in their community, and is a chance for them to give back.
Switzer said, “It shows them what types of charities are in our community. Lots of students are looking to get involved in places, but they don't always know where to go. This shows them how to get involved, where to get involved, and it gives them something to give back to the community.”
