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Celebrating the class of 2020 means celebrating impact — these everyday heroes volunteered, fundraised and spoke out for causes they care about, participating in WE Schools service learning in their classrooms, taking action through after-school WE Clubs, or working independently on passion projects. Many stepped up to tackle issues resulting from COVID-19. To honour the impact of the class of 2020, these nine stories highlight some of the youth who made a difference this year across Canada. Find out how they gave back, what they learned, and how doing good changed their own lives for the better.
When a Halifax Transit bus pulled up to Fairview Junior High on a mild day last December, students streamed out of the red-brick building, hauling boxes filled with donations for local food banks. The school’s WE Club loaded up more than 700 items for the “Stuff-a-Bus” food drive, supporting Feed Nova Scotia.
“You can’t always pick out who in the school or in a community needs help,” says Grade 9 student Molly Nichols.
Fairview, a neighbourhood in northwest Halifax, has a 30 per cent poverty rate, with almost 50 per cent of children living in low-income households. Many students’ families access the food banks. The students are keen to make a positive impact in their local community and find ways to give back and support each other.
“Even without needing to be asked or without calling them out, I knew I was helping them,” adds Molly. The WE Club has raised funds for relief efforts in Haiti, sold fruit skewers to benefit animals affected by the Australian wildfires, and helped with a toy drive. Molly says they have learned that even small actions can have a big impact.
Content produced by WE. The Globe and Mail was not involved in its creation.