A dozen local high school students are making a difference in their community, while also earning a grade.
A project set up by Amy Bergsma, a teacher at the high school, along with the Chatham-Kent United Way, had students do a presentation in front of community member and a panel of judges Thursday night.
According to a media release sent by the local United Way, the goal of the presentation was to raise awareness about local programs, encourage volunteerism, as well as instil pride in the municipality. Each student advocated on behalf of a charity of their choosing.
Based on the presentation, Gr.12 student Patrick Hindmarsh ended up winning $5,000 for the charity he promoted, the Autism Transitional Classroom with Chatham-Kent Children’s Services. However, all of the students walked away with a grade.
“I designed this project to not only matter for Grade 12 marks, but to alter the course of [people's] lives," said Bergsma. “Imagine the impact of these students having a deeper sense of community, greater capacity for empathy, and the empowerment to know how to step outside of their comfort zones and make change happen.”
The Autism Transitional Classroom will be using the donated money to buy enhanced learning materials for their classroom.