For one dedicated student fundraiser being recognized for her charitable work through her school was just another opportunity to give back.
Chestermere Lake Middle School Grade 9 Student Haley Kennedy was recognized at WE Day, Nov. 1 in Calgary for her dedication to giving back to the community.
“I was so excited…I was jumping up and down when I found out,” said Kennedy.
Students from the School attend We Day every year.
The event is a celebration of youth who are committed to making a difference in either their local or the global community.
This year, two of Kennedy’s teacher decided to nominate her to be recognized at the event.
“We didn’t know she was going to get the recognition that she did,” said Catherine Simoneau, Grade 9 Humanities teacher at the school.
“Normally on WE day what they do is just a quick shout out,” she said.
Instead, Kennedy was singled out for her work.
She was made to stand up in the crowded saddle dome as they recognized her for the work she’s led at the school over the past couple years.
She received a $250 gift card to the Keg and the school received $1000 in $100 gift cards.
Instead of using the gift cards to celebrate her and the Student Voice club’s achievement’s, they decided to hold a silent auction to raise money so that they could adopt a family for Christmas.
Kennedy chose to support Adopt-a-Family because of a family connection to the charity.
“A couple years ago my aunt was adopted,” she said.
“We just wanted to give back to what my aunt had to go through,” said Kennedy, “we just wanted to make a difference or put a smile on a kids face for Christmas.”
Kennedy and Student Voice decided to request a family of four to adopt for Christmas and were assigned a single mom with three boys by the Adopt-a-Family foundation.
Once the fundraising was completed, Kennedy went shopping for the family.
“It was a little tough, not knowing the family,” said Kennedy of the shopping trip.
She had a wish list to work from but some things like the kids clothing sizes she was unsure of.
“It was tough shopping for them but it was still, really fun getting to go around with the experience,” she said, “we’re making a difference for a kids Christmas.”
Kennedy has been volunteering and working to support charitable events through school since she was in Grade 3.
“I do whatever I can to help make a difference,” she said.
She joined Student Voice in Grade 7 when she started at Chestermere Lake Middle School and was elected Prime Minister of the club.
Student Voice is a student run club that gives back to the community and advocates for positive change in the world.
Over the past three years some of the work Kennedy and the club have done, which led to her being recognized at WE Day, included fundraising for the Fort McMurray wildfire, raising money for women in Africa, and adopting a school.
“When we heard about the Fort McMurray Fire I decided to step up and we did a fundraiser to fill backpacks for the kids and the families,” she said.
They collected school supplies, toiletries and supplies for expectant mothers, filling 20 backpacks.
Kennedy said that she continues to work with Student Voice because she likes to give back.
“I enjoy putting smiles on other kids faces,” she said.
