Shauna Heighton gave her Grade 11 students in her yoga classes at North Nova Education Centre a challenging assignment – change the world.
Monday they proved the could do it as one of the Grade 11 classes carried toys they had collected to fill up the school’s bus, while the other class prepared mittens, hats and other winter apparel to give away later in this week.
Heighton said she was proud of the way students embraced the project and made it a success.
“The beautiful thing about it is it’s their project. I just support them in it,” she said. “They took it on this year and went crazy with it.”
With the toy drive, she said the students encouraged their parents and fellow students to donate and ended up with a large amount.
“They’re going to do donate them to different charities around town that we’ve connected with,” she said.
Cailey Russell who helped with the toy drive said it was fun to take part.
“It felt good to do something for kids.”
She said it helped her realize how fortunate she and others are.
The winter apparel has been packaged in bags and will be distributed on Wednesday.
“We’re going to hang these on posts all through downtown and all through New Glasgow,” Heighton said. “They’re free for anyone who needs them.”
Sophie MacDonald was in the class that lead that project and said it was good to give back to people especially this time of year.
She said she personally learned a new way to give back more.
Heighton said she hopes the students take what they learned from this and continue to apply it.
“I want to empower them that the smallest thing makes a big difference. I want them to know that any small act can make a huge difference in somebody else’s life. That’s part of what we teach them in that course.”
Also Monday, student council members gathered up food that had been donated at the school to load the bus as well.
