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Sylvan Lake leadership students learn to give back

Sylvan Lake’s Victim Services will benefit from student volunteerism
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Students from H. J. Cody School in Sylvan Lake are learning about philanthropy (Advocate file photo).

A Sylvan Lake school is making an impact through Youth in Philanthropy.

Leadership students at H.J. Cody High in Sylvan Lake have become the first school outside of Red Deer to take up the torch for Youth in Philanthropy.

The school will focus its volunteer efforts on helping Sylvan Lake Victim Services.

The Youth in Philanthropy project falls under the umbrella of the Red Deer & District Community Foundation, which provided $500 to H.J. Cody students to explore and choose a registered charity for their project.

The students researched a number of organizations and settled on the local victim services program, which serves multiple needs for area residents.

“The passion of these students is really far-reaching, so they worked hard to determine the best fit,” said Jacqui Renwick, who teaches the school’s leadership class.

“We will also be helping the Aspire Special Needs Resource Centre and the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter, but our focus will be on victim services. These students have come to realize … they can now have real-life impact on some of those initiatives,” she added.

As well as supporting local charities, part of the Youth in Philanthropy initiative is about empowering young people by showing the impact of their efforts, said Renwick. The program explores volunteerism, social needs, financial responsibility and legacy building.

“These kids are fantastic,” said Erin Peden, co-ordinator with the Red Deer & District Community Foundation. “It’s so exciting to watch what happens when you give them the opportunity to get involved.”

She noted the students will be doing site visits, conducting interviews and examining at what it takes to be successful in fund development and sustainability.

“We are so proud of this entire group,” said principal Mike Garrow. “One of our school goals is citizenship and this project knocks that goal right out of the park.”

The leadership class is setting out to involve students throughout the school.

“We have lots of ideas and we are so excited to get more people involved,” said Grade 12 student Niah Bayliss.