From the community, to the community

Dec 09, 2010

Photo: Students and staff of Ms. Steele’s School to Community class

On December 7, students in Ms. Steele's School to Community class at Sharbot Lake High School presented a cheque and toys to Ms. Meaghan Dodgson in the school cafeteria, culminating their efforts to give back to the community. The students started fundraising three weeks ago for the school’s annual food, clothing and toy drive, which supports Northern Frontenac Community Services and the local food bank. This was the first time Ms Steele's students had initiated their own project for the drive, which was headed up this year in the school by the student council and French teacher Ms. Meaghan Dodgson.

The School to Community students participated by baking, decorating, advertising and selling cup cakes and when all was said and done the students raised $190 - but their efforts did not stop there. Students then were split into five teams and were partnered with Mr. Robinson's leadership class and together took a shopping trip, where each team purchased an appropriate toy for a child in the community. While Ms. Steele always intended for her students to focus on giving and helping others during the holiday season, she says it was the students themselves who initiated the idea of giving back to those in need in the community.”

“Their effort evolved in the classroom during Remembrance Day when we discussed the idea of helping others in other countries and while my intention had always been to bring that idea around to giving to others in need in our own community, it was the students who had the idea to go there first,” she said. “And that was a really big moment in the classroom.” The fundraising will wrap up on December 16.. Congratulations to Ms Steele’s students on demonstrating how far a cupcake can go in bringing joy to others.