WE Day

W I N N I P E G F R E E P R E S S S P E C I A L F E AT U R E | S AT U R D AY, O C T O B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 4 OfferendsNovember30,2014withamaximumcontributionof$375,00.EasyTabletofferisonlyavailabletonewcustomersactivatingasmartphoneatthesametimeandexistingTELUSmobilityclients,bothsubject toapprovedcreditpolicy.Notavailabletocustomersonthecreditlimitprogram.Onlyavailableatparticipatinglocations.CustomersmustsubscribetoaneligiblemonthlyTELUStabletrateplaninordertoqualifyfor theEasyTabletoffer.Taxes,longdistance,additionalairtime,roamingandpay-per-usechargesareextra.Customersmustpaybackthebalanceofthetabletovera12or24monthperiodviamonthlypaymentsequalto $20/month.The16GBminionatwoyeartermis$18.75.Oncethepurchasepricehasbeenpaid,theservicewillcontinueonamonth-to-monthbasiswithoutthemonthlychargeforthetablet.©2014TELUS.14_00644-03 Let'salltakea standforchange. Getatabletfrom$0upfrontona2year EasyTabletofferandwe'llgive$25toWeDay. telus.com/easytablet 3 STUDENTS ACROSS CANADA jOIN ThE mE TO WE mOvEmENT FOR SOCIAL ChANGE Young people are shining a spotlight on the local and global issues of our time and working together for a better world. mount Douglas Secondary School, Saanich, British Columbia For Armel de la Fuente and Katy Chen, making the world a better place starts at home — by ensuring that every student at their school feels included and accepted. "In middle school I didn't really feel like I fit in," says Katy. "I really like to make everyone feel welcome so they feel more connected to the school and don't repeat my experience." Last February, the two Grade 12 girls helped launch a Pink Shirt Day, leading their school in taking a stand against bullying. "There were a lot of people who were dressed completely in pink, from head to toe!" recalls Katy. "It was really great to see that." Western Canada high School, Calgary, Alberta Last May, students organized a "Pause for Paws" benefit concert to raise funds for the Four Feet Companion Foundation, a non-profit supporting animal shelters in Alberta. There were performances by youth bands from the school and from across the city. The leadership team also spoke about the importance of the cause. "I think the issue of animal welfare is pretty neglected," says Aleeza Manucot, 17. "It's one of the most underfunded issues. But if people are given an avenue to get involved, it sparks their interest and curiosity." For Jason Selby, a teacher at Western Canada High, seeing students come together on this issue was rewarding. "The students are really passionate about making a difference," he says. "Their passion is contagious." Chinook Alternative middle School, Swift Current, Saskatchewan At Chinook Alternative School, students make it a priority to lend a hand in their community. This year, their goal is to complete 100 hours of volunteering, whether it's shovelling snow or raking leaves for elderly neighbours. With every action, students leave behind a little card that reads "Random act of kindness." "It feels pretty good to help them," says Jayden Downs, 13. "They don't know your name so you're doing it without getting any recognition." One of her favourite activities is entertaining Alzheimer's patients at Prairie Pioneer Lodge, and even helping them paint their nails. "They're nice to talk to," Jayden says. "It's a great way to brighten up their day." Lord Nelson School, Winnipeg, manitoba For their "Empty Bowls" fundraising event in support of Winnipeg Harvest, students auctioned off clay bowls that they crafted and painted themselves. Families were asked to keep the bowls empty as a reminder of people around the world who go hungry every day. "Winnipeg Harvest does so much for kids that don't have as much as we do," says Rhaelyn Pineda, 11. "It felt good to help them and to give back to others." "Something clicked for a lot of kids because they understand what fairness is and they understand human rights," adds Judianne Jayme, a Grade 6 teacher. "Seeing them become passionate about something was a really nice surprise as a teacher." Sheppard Public School, Waterloo, Ontario On April 17, the social justice club at Sheppard Public School helped support Free The Children's We Are Silent campaign by encouraging classmates to stay silent in solidarity with those in the world who are deprived of their basic human rights. Students wore hospital masks inscribed with the issue they felt most passionate about and stood in front of the school with posters, spreading awareness to passersby. "Watching students in Grade 1 united in a cause and marching in silence alongside students in Grade 6 was incredibly moving to me," says Anna Lucas, a school educator. "It brought a tear to my eye!" Tamarac Education Centre, Port hawksbury, Nova Scotia Last year, students teamed up with five other schools to fundraise for education in Kenya. Tamarac dedicated a week of their year-long initiative to holding a "Quarter Challenge." Every quarter brought in counted as 25 points for their homeroom, and every loonie or toonie could be used to knock down the score of other classrooms. In the end it was a fun challenge and a meaningful learning opportunity. Teachers also got involved by holding presentations at lunch to share their experiences teaching overseas. "I've grown from learning about other countries," says Matthew Landry, 13. "It's important to not just give money, but to learn why you are." St. Anthony Elementary School, Pierrefonds, Quebec It takes a real hero to stand up to hunger. This year, students at St. Anthony are supporting local and global food security by donating non-perishable goods to the West Island Mission and collecting food to supplement the Breakfast Program of a local school. "I don't think it's very fair that some other people aren't treated as equally as we are," says Maya Socorro, 11. For educator Marilyn Carroll, getting the kids involved in social issues has made a difference in the school's culture. "Everybody stopped thinking about themselves and started thinking about other people," she says. Carroll postponed her retirement for two years and has since returned part-time to witness how kids are empowered to change the world. "It was the highlight of my teaching career," she says.

• Cover