Student Leaders Spearhead Fundraisers for Indigenous Communities  

Upper Canada District School Board Student Senators are focused on change and improvement – not just for the school board, but within the community.  

From April 1 to May 1, Student Senators will lead fundraising events at their schools to raise money for Green Iglu, a charity that works with Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario to help address food security and food sovereignty.  

“This year’s Student Senate has made it evident that they wish to leave the world a better place than they found it. With our combined goals and interests in mind, the Student Senate chose to dedicate the funds from this fundraiser to Indigenous communities in Canada,” explains Student Senate Vice-Chair and Student Trustee Eshal Ali. “We recognize the challenges Indigenous communities continuously face and have faced, especially over the past year, and with our combined resources we aim to help them form a future in which they know they are always supported.” 

Student Senators have set a $5,000 combined goal, with hopes of surpassing it. Equally divided, that’s approximately $227 per school. To give his fellow Senators incentive to roll out fundraisers at their schools, Student Senate Chair and Student Trustee Bradford Ward committed to taking a pie in the face if every school meets the per-school minimum.

“Our senators are all extremely passionate about changing the world around them for the better. That’s why we all joined Student Senate after all — to make a difference,” says Ward. “These fundraisers are a tangible way to do that, to truly help improve not just the lives of our fellow students, but rather the world around us.”

Director of Education Ron Ferguson, inspired by both the Student Senate’s commitment to helping those in their surrounding community and Ward’s promise to be “pied,” pledged $10 to each school to kick-start their fundraising efforts.

“Coordinating a board-wide fundraising initiative at the secondary level takes commitment, organization and teamwork. This group of students are true leaders and I am proud that they’ve taken on this initiative,” says Ferguson.  

Reach out to your local secondary school for details on how to support!