Students from Fairmount Junior Public School take nothing for granted

Fairmount students pose with their African art inspired masks

The Year of We has officially begun, and one school in Scarborough, Ontario, has already started to move from me to we.

Fairmount Junior Public School’s Grade 2 and Grade 5 classrooms came up with a very creative, eye-opening campaign designed not only to raise money for a school building project in Kenya, but also to help their fellow students realize how fortunate they are.

The group decided that they would dedicate each day in October to a different luxury we have in North America that often gets taken for granted. If students or teachers were fortunate enough to have that luxury, they would donate a small amount of change to the Kenyan school building project. For instance, October 22nd was dedicated to birthdays. Students and teachers were asked to donate five cents if they celebrated their birthday this year and received a gift.

A calendar of change and awareness!

Every now and then, it’s easy to forget how fortunate we are. We have access to so many items and opportunities that it can be difficult to imagine living without them. The reality is that most people in the world don’t have access to these luxuries, making Fairmount Junior Public School’s idea an amazing awareness-raising and fundraising campaign for their Year of We.  

The story doesn’t end there though. Each month the students and educators at Fairmont come up with another creative fundraiser, including a year-long campaign in which they recognize the kindness of their friends by giving them beads and funky pins. After a year of fundraising, Fairmonts students have raised enough money to build a school in Kenya, but are continuing with their fundraising efforts. Truly taking on the Me to We philosophy, these students have made a huge difference in the lives of their community members and also in the lives of their Kenyan peers. We wish them good luck in all their Year of We initiatives!

Helpful Hints from Helpful Links

Sign up for the Adopt a Village campaign and support a community overseas
Make your birthday count: throw a Celebrate for Change party
Learn about creative fundraisers you can try

Free The Children is the largest network of children helping children through education in the world, with more than one million youth involved in our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.