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Youth and Philanthropy Initiative a great success in Mattawa

Photo - from left to right Back row, Bianca Argo, Hailey Mayfield, Jill Pineau Front row, Jasmine Joanisse, Lyn Quiring F.J. McElligott Secondary School News Release ************************* On Wednesday, May 29th, the F.J.

Photo - from left to right Back row, Bianca Argo, Hailey Mayfield, Jill Pineau Front row, Jasmine Joanisse, Lyn Quiring

F.J. McElligott Secondary School
News Release

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On Wednesday, May 29th, the F.J. McElligott Secondary School grade ten civics class competed against each other in Youth and Philanthropy Initiative. Half the school gathered in the cafeteria along with a panel of judges to watch presentations that the students put together about local charities.

Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) is a program developed in Toronto that allows secondary school students to become aware of charities within their community. YPI empowers young people to get involved in philanthropy by offering $5 000 for the winning team to give to their charity.

Weeks ago, the students were divided into teams and each team was given a charity within the community of Mattawa to research. Each group of students had the opportunity to visit their charity and interview the people that volunteered there. The charities included Mattawa Food Bank, Women's Resource Center, Mattawa Christian Life Pentecostal Church, and Forests without Borders.

The competition was close, but an all-girl team came out on top, winning the $5 000 for Forests without Borders. Forests without Borders in a non-profit organization based in Mattawa that plants trees and creates sustainable ecosystems in impoverished and barren communities across the world. $5 000 will immediately help 600 people but that number will grow as time progresses.

Jasmine Joanisse, Jillian Pineau, Hailey Mayfield, Lyn Quiring and Biance Argo presented information on Forests without Borders using passion, creativity and the power of words to capture the judges. The presentation also contained a video of an inspiring song written by the group and performed by Jasmine, Jillian and Hailey. The song was written from the perspective of people receiving help from Forests without Borders. Lyrics include “Now I can stand on my own two feet; this hope has set me free”. The Tree Song can be found on YouTube.

All participating students gained first-hand experience in the world of philanthropy and were inspired to become more involved in their community.

“It was such an amazing experience,” said Hailey Mayfield, a member of the winning team.

“We learned so much about our cause. Being able to give a large amount of money to such a worthy cause is unbelievably rewarding. My friends and I are determined to help out Forests without Borders even more in the future.”

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