By Sean Stansfield
Each April, Toronto’s CityView Alternative School students in grades 7 and 8 get an opportunity to leave their classroom and give back to their community. During Community Service Week the students are broken up into small groups and assigned to different community projects around Toronto. Some work at the shelters, others work at food banks, and five lucky students were given the opportunity to spend their week with us at Right To Play. The first three days consisted of workshops, activities and information sessions based on Right To Play methodology and programs. The students played games and took part in learning workshops that got them active while also learning important leadership qualities and techniques. On the final day of their leadership training, the students put together a skit demonstrating the different skill they learned throughout the week. It was great to see how their self-image and views on others changed in a short three days!
The fourth and final day of the community service initiative involved a Play Day at CityView. The students spent part of their week learning the different games taught by Right To Play staff, with each student planning 2 or 3 games that they would have to demonstrate and facilitate with children at their own school. Kindergarten, grade 1’s and 2’s were able to come out to their playground and rotate through five different games. Each student was responsible for making sure each game ran smoothly and effectively.
All five of the CItyView students represented Right To Play and their school with great dignity and passion. All of the children had a great time and it was all thanks to the dedication shown by those students. Thank you CItyView for a great week!