News Archive
Supporting education in Africa
Pushing to make a real difference
One Shawnigan student has made a world of difference to a family a world away.
When touring with the EDGE Zimbabwe team in the summer, Elise M. made a strong connection with Kaylee – a four year-old girl she met in Gweru.
Having lost her mother to AIDS, Kaylee's prospects looked bleak.
"She made a big impact on me," Elise says. "Her kind nature and bright smile makes you want to achieve a better future for her."
And so, Elise launched a fundraiser. For every $2 donation, Shawnigan students were entered into a draw for a chance to push one of 18 teachers into Shawnigan Lake.
With a large crowd of cheering students on hand, willing teachers got shoved into the water on Saturday morning. Afterwards, Elise reported back to Chapel, telling her peers they had helped raise nearly $5,000.
She says the proceeds will allow both Kaylee and her younger brother to both receive a full (primary and secondary) education, including uniforms and school supplies.
"If you have taken part in Elise's fundraiser, you have fundamentally changed the lives of two people," Deputy Headmaster Barry Welsh said in reaction to Elise's initiative. "You've made an enormous difference, and that's a pretty special thing."
– Jon Zacks
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
