A love for education, Iroquois Ridge High School is raising money to build a school in quake-ravaged Haiti
March 9, 2010
By Jason Misner
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, HDSB STAFF
Iroquois Ridge High School has such a passion for learning that members of the school’s Ridge Council were devastated to hear how many schools in Haiti crumbled to the ground after the deadly January 12 earthquake.
Members of the ambitious council – represented by a total of 64 high school clubs like Culture Shock and Athletic Council – assembled and brainstormed ways to lend a badly-needed helping hand. Since education is most valuable, it made sense for the council to endeavour to assist in raising money ― through the humanitarian group, Free The Children ― to build a new school in the broken country.
With the assistance of feeder public schools, the goal is to raise $24,000 in order to build and staff a Haitian school this year. So far, thanks to matching funds by the Canadian government, Iroquois has already raised nearly $10,000.
This is the same council that was successful in raising, over a period of four years, $24,000 to build a school in Kenya in 2009.
Ridge Council members are ecstatic by the response thus far. Eager to keep the momentum going with a few more fundraising efforts in the coming weeks like a hockey tournament and carnival day, the students have a good feeling they’ll meet the target.
The student council’s co-Prime Minister, Grade 12 student Matt Murray, called the cause “awesome.”
“In our World Issues class, we have figured out there are currently no schools standing in Haiti so this is kind of a way to give back,” the 17 year old said.
“I think it’s awesome what we’re trying to do. It’s not just one club taking it on, it’s all of us taking it on. To help give back is so big. Everyone needs to be educated.”
“The whole school is behind it, the community is behind it,” said a proud 18-year-old Paul Kern, in Grade 12.
Noted Grade 12’s Shraddha Panarker: “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be involved in this. It helps create unity.”
A poster has been painted by student John Schilder to bring attention to the fundraising cause.
In years past, according to United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), numerous schools and hospitals in Haiti have closed because teachers, social workers and health providers could not go to work for fear of violence.
In fact, only a little more than half of primary school-aged children are enrolled in school, with less than 2 per cent of youth finishing secondary school.
Prior to the earthquake, a UNICEF Back to School initiative encouraged 19,000 children and 350 teachers to return to school. UNICEF helped communities build 55 new schools, intended to educate an additional 20,000 children.
UNICEF has also provided water and sanitation supplies for 75 schools.
Geography teacher Monique Gazan, helping oversee the Ridge Council project, said this kind of initiative feeds the school’s goal of arming students with the tools to be able to assist global humanitarian efforts.
“I think it’s fantastic,” she said. “One of our goals is to empower our students to have the confidence to be able to carry out initiatives such as these, and their ability to practice active global citizenship is amazing.”
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Gazan said the hope is these students will be able to continue their efforts to help Haiti down the road, particularly ensuring the Canadian government keeps providing assistance so the country can get back on its feet.
“Ultimately, it’s through an educated young population in Haiti that they’re going to be able to develop and improve their situation,” she said.
Teacher Stephen Merner, head of science and leader of Ridge Council, said the students have “big hearts.”
“What I like is the students saw something that needed help,” he said, adding he’s “very confident” the group will raise the money. “These students, when they set their mind to it, they find a way.”