When Renee Mendrisky, a grade 6 Religion Teacher from St. Jerome School, saw a story on CTV news asking for Christmas wishes for the Canadian Armed Forces, she knew her little army of grade 6 students would be up for a Christmas challenge.
“My wish was that the grade 6 students would experience the power of giving this Advent season by writing their own messages of hope and joy to the Canadian men and women who serve abroad that won’t be home for Christmas,” said Renee.
She taught her students to compose messages in class, and the students wrote rough drafts in the Hapara workspace. Then, they edited their work and wrote the cards by hand. One student made his own card, while others added drawings.
“Some of the students had never addressed an envelope before either, so this was a great, practical learning opportunity for them,” added Ms. Mendrisky.
One student named Hazem remarked, “I learned that a simple thing like a Christmas card can make someone feel good and make someone know they are loved.”
The first candle we light during the Advent season represents hope, and that is certainly what these kind-hearted students personified through this project. As we continue into the season of Advent, let’s follow the example of this class and find creative ways to reflect peace, joy and love to those around us and share what you come up with on social media using #ocsbAdvent.
“I learned that Christmas is not all about receiving gifts. It’s about spending time with your loved ones. I think this project is a very good way to spread Christmas cheer to people who may not be able to spend Christmas with their family.”
– Carmen, grade 6 student from St. Jerome School