.
The Mitten Tree has shed its bounty and dozens of needy citizens will be warmer this Christmas season thanks to the hard work and dedication of Penhold School staff and students.
On Dec. 17, students from the school joined teacher Kristy Blair to hand out 76 tuques, 126 pairs of socks and 45 pairs of gloves from the Mitten Tree to needy patrons of Red Deer's Potter's Hands Ministries. The project and its fundraising were organized by the school's Grade 7 class.
“Showing that volunteerism of being kind, paying back to society is kind of what I am trying to teach them,” said Blair. “We try to teach them about kindness and compassion in all health classes.
“It is called safe and caring schools. We don't really call it anti-bullying anymore,” she added. “If you are a safe and caring school and you've been kind to everyone you shouldn't have to deal with bullying. It shouldn't happen because we are thinking of others all the time.”
Penhold School's generosity of spirit is just one example of how many Chinook's Edge schools have over the past five years placed a high priority in giving back to the communities.
In fact, students at Sundre's River Valley School organized its own Mitten Tree project – the 15th year it has done so.
Grade 8 students from Didsbury's Westglen School went to Ross Ford Elementary School to help kindergarten students write letters to Santa Claus.
Students from Carstairs Elementary School and the town's Hugh Sutherland School joined together to participate in the national Operation Christmas Child program to create Christmas shoeboxes to help needy kids overseas.
And at Ecole Olds Elementary School, the Care Club donated a cheque of $400 to the Olds & District Christmas Angels. The money, which was raised during a recent Wear A Hat Day at the school, will go towards supplying food to families in need at Christmas.
Colleen Butler, chair of Chinook's Edge's board of education, said while the growing number of stories of generosity involving staff and students is not an official part of the school division's curriculum it has become a vital component in emphasizing the concept of “global citizenship.
“This is part of what education is about – looking beyond your little doorstep and it's not only worldwide. There are lots of needs in the Third World countries but there are lots of needs on our own doorstep,” said Butler. “I think teachers are helping their students address that as well. It is time they are donating themselves to help kids realize how great it is to give to someone else.
“We have become a bit of a ‘me' generation I think, so this shows kids that you have to give, that you need to give, and that it is very rewarding to give,” she added. “It is a general educating of the whole child -- helping them become better global citizens.”
Kurt Sacher, the division's superintendent of schools, noted that the organization's vision statement has a comment about creating compassionate and innovative global citizens. And for that to happen, he added, “it makes sense to help them appreciate the power of giving.
“I am personally amazed at the number of kids that are involved in various ways in giving back to their communities,” said Sacher. “Young people get a bad rap and we are finding they don't deserve it.
“The other thing I would argue is that our staff are a really compassionate group of people by their very nature and they encourage this,” he added. “It just adds to the culture of schools when you take advantage of the spirit of giving at Christmastime.”
