Me To WE Day

Lower School students (at Ridley College) took the opportunity to raise awareness about global hunger through participating in a Me to WE Day. The popular philanthropic organization started by Marc and Craig Kielburger of Toronto, Canada, will be the direct beneficiaries of the fund-raising efforts of Ridley students in grades 4-8 who raised over $230.00 during a day of awareness of global hunger. The day was led by grade 7 and 8 students as part of their extra-curricular program.

The Lower School Me to WE Team, in conjunction with Chartwells Food Services (the in-house school food provider), organized a One Plate Lunch whereby students were encouraged to have only one serving of what was on offer at lunch. Very little encouragement was needed as all students, including primary students, complied with the request. This was all the more impressive given that a delicious Chinese buffet was on offer. Chartwells contributed a portion of the savings in support of Me to WE, and the students enjoyed a casual dress down day for a twoonie ($2.00 coin for those who are non-Canadian).

In all, it was a small step for change and global awareness of a much bigger issue. While a fair amount of teacher-direction was involved at the outset, it was the students who ultimately communicated the initiative to the wider community and organized the day. It is interesting to note that in the long run, gaining a broader understanding of both community and global issues is the way forward towards building an extra-curricular program that has deeper meaning. Judging from the response of the school community, this is a direction that will be well-received.