​Improving Lives in Ecuador

Grade 6 student KB is at it again!  Last year, she rallied support in the school community and beyond to raise adequate funds to build a school in Kenya!  This year, she's turned her care and attention to people living in Ecuador.  She's learned that in Ecuador, many children do not have access to quality education, women are not educated nor empowered to take on jobs, and people lack skills necessary to flourish in an ever-changing environment.  Her hope is to call upon our generous school community to help Ecuadorian communities through her Project Empowerment Fundraiser.  If you would like to learn more about this project, and (we hope!!!) donate online to this worthy cause, please CLICK HERE.  

Thank you in advance for your support!

Heart Hero Number One!

Congratulations to LP for being our school​'s top online fundraiser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Jump Rope for Heart initiative!  We are fortunate to have so many caring students in our school community - collectively we raised over $3000 this year!  On behalf of people who have been affected by heart disease, THANK YOU!

Creativity in Action: Raising Awareness of the Benefits of IB

Our Grade 5 classes put their creativity into action by writing an original song about what it's like to be an IB student, as well a choreographing and performing a dance to go with their song.  The school community applauded their originality and commitment in making this piece so memorable and meaningful!  Check out their song lyrics below!

Preserving Puffins Project

In recognition of the fact that puffins are endangered, these caring students decided to engage in an action project to help preserve puffin habitats and populations.  They have raised awareness about puffins through sharing information about puffins on the daily morning announcements (showing they are knowledgeable and are great communicators) and have shown commitment to their cause by circulating to classes to collect donations.  ​

​​Hygiene Drive for Harvest ​Project

Many people in the Greater Vancouver area do not have access to everyday hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and shampoo.  In response to this, these brothers decided to host a hygiene drive for the Harvest Project.  They have a message of thanks that follows to our genrous school community:

"We'd like to thank the students who supported us in our hygiene drive for the Harvest Project.  [On December 17th] we went down to the Harvest Project with over 260 items including 85 toothbrushes, 58 tubes of toothpaste and 52 bottles of shampoo.  We met some nice volunteers and Joe, the director.  We had a tour.  We learned that the Harvest Project needs more hygiene supplies because they run out really quickly.  Also, they need more supplies in August and September when their shelves are close to empty.  Happy Holidays to  all of our students.  We all did a really great job."

Red Panda Rescue

Recognizing that red pandas are endangered, these caring Grade 3 students decided to do an action project to raise funds to help.  Funds raised will go towards preserving red panda habitats and helping to maintain the health of existing red pandas.​

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​Hammer's Hero!

Congratulations to LN who was selected as a Hammer's Hero because of his efforts on behalf of rescue animals for the BCSPCA's Paws for a Cause.  Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis started Hammer's Heroes as a means of recognizing young action stars in Vancouver, and as a thank you for their efforts, 41 young people will get to attend a home game in February.  LN is appropriate for this recognition as has dedicated a great deal of time and energy to this cause for the past number of years and has raised a significant amount of money to benefit animals in need of care and shelter at the BCSPCA.  If they could speak, we're sure many animals would thank LN and other Paws for a Cause supporters!  ​

Jump Rope for Heart​

These students were our top Jump Rope for Heart fundraisers this year!  They raised between $300 - $500 each with funds going to heart research through the Heart and Stroke Foundation.  Thank you for your efforts!​

Clean Water Project

These siblings learned that many people in Africa do not have access to clean water.  Their learning inspired them to raise awareness in the school about this, as well as raise funds towards building a well and sanitation system in Tanzania or Myanmar.  They collected loonies and toonies from classes as well as had a used book sale and they raised just under $200 through the school.  Their efforts will surely be appreciated by people who are in need of clean water!

Aid for Cancer Research

Perhaps inspired by their peers' efforts to raise funds for cancer research, these caring kids worked tirelessly to create bracelets to sell to raise funds for cancer research.  They also hosted a bake sale at the school with all proceeds going towards their cause.  This shows their compassion for those whose health is affected by this prolific disease.

Helping Giant Pandas

These Grade 4 students (and one other who was away when the photo was taken) worked hard to raise awareness about the decline in Giant Panda populations.  They also raised funds to help maintain and grow Giant Panda populations.  Way to go girls!

 

Fundraising for the Vancouver Aquarium

Concerned for the welfare of aquatic animals, these students raised funds to benefit the animals at the Vancouver Aquarium.  Their efforts are surely appreciated by the animals and their care-takers!

 

Building a School in Kenya - UPDATE

Paws for a Cause

International Mindedness: Building a School in Kenya

Grade 5 student K.B. is spearheading an action project with the goal to raise $10,000 to build a school in Kenya.  K.B. says "I am excited because I can help children get an education."  Funds raised for this project are being donated to Change Heroes (for more info visit: Change Heroes Action Project), a movement started by Taylor Conway (http://www.taylorconroy.com) for the charity Free the Children.  

K.B. learned that schools in Kenya are a lot different than those here in Canada.  The schools have cinder block walls, big windows, skylights, chalk boards, and wooden benches.  Each school can educate 50 children per year for about 20 years - that means 1000 children will be educated in the school we build!  The school will be built by local workers with local materials and have fully trained teachers whose salaries are paid by the local government.  This means the school will be fully sustainable.

Change Heroes has already recognized K.B. as one of its Top 15 Change Heroes because we have already raised about $7000.  "I believe Capilano Elementary CAN DO IT!" she says, "When our school is built we will receive videos and photographs of the school and the students." Capilano Elementary will also be mentioned in the credits for funding the school.

Change Heroes has a motto: There's a hero inside all of us ready to change the world.  "I think Capilano Elementary can do it.  WE can be heroes" ~ K.B.

Caring Kids Raise Funds for Cancer Research

Grade 6 students J.C., B.T. and L.F. are raising funds for the Canadian Cancer Society by hosting a bake sale on Friday, October 18th and a Jelly Bean Guess contest on Wednesday, October 23rd.  They also plan to shave their heads to show support for people afflicted with cancer!  Thank you for supporting this worthy cause.

Environmental Action - Charitree Foundation

Grade 6 student M.R. is passionate about our environment and wanted to do something to have a positive effect on our world.  Read more to learn about this action project...