220 students and a 316-metre-long paper chain acknowledge acts of kindness in the community

More than 220 students at École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Marguerite-d’Youville in Verner held a 316-meter-long paper chain, on Friday, June 24, to recognize their acts of kindness toward peers and the community in the framework of their school’s “Virtues Project”. 

The celebration began in the school gymnasium at 9:30. by recognizing the Aboriginal territories, where CSCFN schools were built, and interpreting the national anthem in French, English, and Ojibway to mark National Aboriginal Day.

A prayer by Father Jean Legault followed and the Virtues Committee thanked various individuals who contributed to the development of the project over the last 15 years.

Students, families, current and past Principals, as well as staff and members of the community, lined up outside at 10:30 to extend the paper chain from the school to Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church. Students sang their original song “On vit la liberté” created with the support of francophone artist, Chuck Labelle.

A luncheon on the church grounds closed the event!

The “Virtues Project”, created by a teacher at the school in 2004, focuses on the practice of virtues, in the image of Jesus, in everyday life, according to a release from the school. 

"École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Marguerite-d’Youville and Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-Nord, adopted this program to bring out the best in students and to foster a caring, respectful and moral culture within the community. Students, school and school board staff along with parents and local agencies have been filling in slips of paper to honour various acts of kindness, such as respect, courtesy, self-confidence, courage, determination, to name a few, that they have witnessed. These slips of paper have been accumulating for the last three years."