October 25 - 29, 2017
Be the Change Project: 'Negative language'
The project that the student organizers had created worked to bring awareness about the power of negative language and need for mindfulness in using positive language. To illustrate this, they worked together to blow up hundreds of balloons with negative words on the outside, and slips of paper with positive words on the inside.
February 29 - March 4, 2016
Be the Change Project: 'Shred the Dread'
The project "Shred your Dread" focused on confronting negative thoughts and labels that affect peers. Students wrote the labels that represented things that they had been called and shredded them. The students were then made to say, "I don't receive that." This symbolized the students unwillingness to be affected by the words. This was done to raise awareness of student's everyday language and promote a positive atmosphere.
Impact: 155 students and teachers
March 9 - 13, 2015
Be the Change Project
The focus of the student organizers was to bring greater awareness of disabilities to the school through preparation video where each CONNECTIONS student explained what disabled them; a presentation by Cory Johnson and a follow-up “in your Face” activity based on the idea that hatred and judgement are thrown at people with disabilities and we can wipe it away by changing our language and behaviours”. This final activity, done as a fund raiser was put on social media and has spread this disabilities awareness activity far beyond the school.
