MANITOUWADGE -- This year, during their Holiday Countdown, the students at Manitouwadge High School decided that “it would be a good time to give back”. The student body now has a special new member to their Wolverine family.
On Feb. 23, 2022, the school announced that they have decided to sponsor a child. By asking every student to donate $1 a month or $10 for the entire school year, they are able to sponsor a special child who is eight years old.
Schneica Philistin was sponsored through ERDO ChildCare Plus program and is in grade one at her school in Haiti.
Under the leadership of Manitouwadge High School guidance counsellor, April Robinson, the student body at the school learned about this special program, and agreed to organize a fundraiser to make this a reality for the school and this eight-year-old.
Robinson spearheaded this project and helps students agree that this was a good idea. When several of the students at the school were asked, “Do you think it was a good idea to sponsor a child, and why? Here is what some of them answered.
Grade 12 student, Averyt Schut said, “I think it was a good idea because I value education and wanted to provide that opportunity to others”.
Ciara Robinson, student council president, Grade 12, believes that, “I think that we are very entitled and by sponsoring this child, I have hopes that this will ground us, allowing us to see how privileged we are”.
It is obvious that the students at Manitouwadge High, do not take their education for granted, appreciate how lucky they are, care deeply about others and demonstrate this by working diligently at making this project a reality and a success. Students from every grade became part of the fundraising initiative.
Several other students also offered their views and feelings about this. Matthew Bryant, a Grade 9 student, said that, “I think it’s a terrific idea to sponsor a child who is a lot less fortunate than me. I feel horrible when I think of all the things, I take for granted that people like this little girl don’t have, and I believe that if we all give at least $5, we can change this young girl’s life for the better."
The school set up a bulletin board in their school hall-way, to share with the student body pictures and updates of the child, Schneica Philistin, where she lives, and attends school. This bulletin board also shows a thermometer, used to indicate where they stand with the fundraising efforts, and it is updated frequently.
These dedicated members of student council, and the entire caring student body are showing that they take stewardship and taking care of others as important virtues, and view this as key responsibilities as members of their community.
Congratulations to everyone involved in sponsoring Schneica Philistin, and in making her life and road to a better education a reality.
