Citizenship
How do we show good citizenship at SHS? Through taking action from learning, through formal and informal student leadership, through our annual participation in the Terry Fox Run and food drives, through working together as a whole school.
However, equally as individuals, by becoming informed about the issues in our community, by learning to see outside ourselves, by finding the courage to speak up and advocate for ourselves and others. As our principal Mr. Parsons always says, “Big boys take care of themselves; bigger boys take care of others.”
Citizenship is an important part of the educational fabric at SHS, and we help our boys learn to identify needs and figure out a way to help, without waiting to be asked.
Citizenship Initiatives
Citizenship activities are student driven, often an outcome of classroom learning, and provide a fun and challenging opportunity for the boys to come together as a grade and take on a project, which also becomes integrated into the curriculum. With the help of a faculty advisor, boys work as a team to take on every aspect of the initiative themselves, from research to advertising to fundraising to follow-up.
Current initiatives include raising funds for the Terry Fox Foundation, an October food drive, and our support for Pink Shirt Day, an anti-bullying initiative. We also organize a Holiday Toy Drive, participated in The Shoe Box Project as well as organizing the annual SHS Talent Show in support of the North York Harvest food bank.
Agents of Change
Our Agents of Change are Grade 8 leaders, the Citizenship Team, who play an integral part in community service and character education at Sterling Hall. With the guidance of a faculty member in the role of Citizenship Co-ordinator, the Agents of Change oversee two or three school-wide projects, helping wherever needed, and instilling a sense of excitement and senior student “cool” factor to projects.
Boys in our Intermediate Division apply to participate in a building project in Ecuador, where they help to build schools and support a vital water project. The trip is an experience of a lifetime for the boys and provides much-needed support for the communities they visit. This trip happens every other year.