branksome school logo
search

Branksome Hall News

Innovative Graduating Year Students’ community project raises funds and school spirit

Academic programming was not on the schedule, at least not at the Junior School on Friday, May 1. The calendar was cleared to make room for the Graduating Year (GY) students’ Purpose Project, just one example of the extraordinary efforts and creative ideas emerging in these unprecedented times. 
As part of this community-minded initiative, the afternoon was programmed to allow GY student volunteers the opportunity to offer Junior School students enjoyable, interest-based activities on Zoom. Parents and the younger students browsed a schedule in advance and registered for a variety of engaging and motivating 30-minute sessions, including magic tricks, a Harry Potter Club, TikTok dances, online Pictionary, cartooning, age-based crafts and more.

“It was a very rewarding experience to see the students so excited about science experiments,” says GY leader Tang. “Having this opportunity to do something for the community, during the time of COVID-19, felt like a fun and creative way to be a part of this positive initiative.”  

In addition to providing participants with an energizing break and an opportunity to connect, the small session fees collected for the afternoon were directed to Branksome’s “Triangle of Hope” partners—Rose Avenue Public School in St. Jamestown, Toronto and the Queenstown Get Ahead Project School in South Africa, where communities are facing food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

“Being able to share what I love with the Junior School community, while also knowing that we are giving back to something much bigger, is really inspiring,” says GY leader Alexa, who led a session on cartooning.

Registrants were invited to make an additional contribution, on a dedicated website. Ultimately, the community goal of $2,020 was met and exceeded, raising a total of $2,430.

“We are so proud of our GY and Junior School students, and so appreciative of all your generosity and support,” says Junior School Head Amanda Kennedy.
Back
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to acknowledge this land on which Branksome operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and go to school on this land.

Setting the new standard for girls' education everywhere takes collective action. From all of us.
 
MAKE A DONATION