Chestermere Lake Middle School Fundraiser for the people of Nepal

On June 12, the grade 7 student body was able to present a cheque to the Canadian Red Cross to assist the people of Nepal, who were affected by a series of devastating earthquakes in late April and early May. The students raised over $1000 in only a few days, which was matched by the Canadian government. In the end, the combined monies could be used to provide either two hospital beds for children or up to 4 family-sized tents. About 80 students volunteered their time to help sell Freezies and prepare and sell concessions for a school dance. This number represents about half of the grade 7 students in the school,
The unfortunate events that took place a half a world away, happened to coincide with start of the our Planet Earth science unit. The grade 7 science teachers felt that adjusting the unit plan to incorporate current world events would allow students to make more meaningful connections to the information that had to be covered. The teachers were able to introduce new theories and research about the causes of earthquakes that would not have been covered if they followed the textbook. This also allowed the students to demonstrate some of the Rocky View Schools 21st Century Competencies such as Global Awareness, Collaboration, and Civic Engagement.
The school chose the Canadian Red Cross Nepal Region Earthquake Fund because all monies raised would be used in that area. Prior to accepting the school’s donation, Alen Okanovic, CRC volunteer, shared with the students how he became involved with the organization. He was able to prove to the students how their work and money could help others far beyond providing a tent or some medicine. As a teenager, Alen was forced to flee Bosnia due to the war and lived in a Red Cross sponsored refugee camp for over 2 years. The Red Cross provided food, shelter, medical assistance and eventually aided him immigrating to Canada.
The students were able to pull together and provide assistance to people who they may never know nor completely understand how they contributed to rebuilding a country. However, let’s hope they will continue to answer the call for help whenever and wherever it is needed.