Throughout the school year, our students and staff partner with local community groups and organizations as part of our Connections Program. In this program, we make connections by learning, sharing and serving with these organizations. One of the organizations we are partnering with this school year is L’Arche Daybreak.

L’Arche Daybreak, founded in Richmond Hill, welcomes individuals with intellectual disabilities and their assistants who live, work and learn with them. People are drawn to this organization from all over the world seeking a different way of life and bringing with them a wide range of beliefs, backgrounds and qualifications. Our partnership with L’Arche Daybreak has allowed us to incorporate the organization into our Connections program, allowing our students and staff the opportunity to learn and share about the organizations through a series of initiatives that are held throughout the school year.

In 2019, as a part of the fall Student Life Day, 16 Grade 10 students and two staff members participated in a service day where they engaged with members of the L’Arche Daybreak family and learned more about the organization. Our community service club has also previously volunteered their time with this organization at their community home. In their volunteer experience, students assisted the staff with programming and preparing meals and snacks, but more importantly, they spent quality time with Core members and made new friendships. 

While in-person connections were not able to take place this year due to COVID-19, we were happy to continue learning more about the L’Arche Daybreak organization through a series of Senior School Teacher Advisor Group (TAG) sessions. Next week, we look forward to seeing support from the HTS community on our upcoming sharing day which will help support this connection partner.

The HTS community has been very involved with this connection partner over the past few years and we are looking forward to continuing this partnership in the future.

3/18/2021

Julian B, Service Prefect

This week HTS is supporting two of our local connections partners, the Alzheimer Society (ASYR) as well as St. John Ambulance. Our school community has been very involved with these two organizations over the past few years and we are looking forward to continuing this partnership.

The Alzheimer Society of York Region helps ASYR offer support, education, navigation and programs to people impacted by dementia. On the other hand, St. John Ambulance offers the most comprehensive, state-of-the-art first aid and CPR training programs for the workplace, the home and local communities. Our partnership with ASYR and St. John Ambulance has allowed us to incorporate both organizations into our Connections program in a way that gives students and staff the opportunity to learn and share about the organizations through a series of initiatives that are held throughout the year.

In previous years, as a part of the fall student life day the grade 10 students have participated in a service day where they learned more about what the organization as well as gave service along with staff volunteers. While the service day was not able to take place this year, we were honoured to have an ASYR Program Manager guest speaker to launch this year's Connections Week and most recently the Minds in Motion program.

HTS has also made a great deal of connections with St. John Ambulance. In fall of 2018, during our first ever Student LIfe Day the middle school was involved in a Design Thinking Challenge in how they could improve the United Way Week experience for future years. The winning middle school group presentation for the Design Thinking Challenge won with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog program. The therapy dog program created sessions in the last two years that have helped with the wellness and mental health of HTS students during high stressful times of the year. A representative from the St. John Ambulance has also spoken to the middle school to launch their Connections Week program.

2/9/2021

Julian B, Service Prefect

Throughout the school year, our students and staff partner with local community groups and organizations as part of our Connections Program. In this program, we make connections by learning, sharing and serving with these organizations. The third organization we are partnering with this school year is Inn From The Cold (IFTC).

IFTC supports individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The organization collaborates with its partners in order to provide those with basic to complex needs in the York Region. Our partnership with IFTC has allowed us to incorporate the organization into our Connections Program in a way that gives students and staff the opportunity to learn about and share with the charity through a series of initiatives that are held throughout the year.

During the holiday season, student leaders held a sock drive. The drive was a great success as numerous donations were brought in to support the homeless in the local York Region area. Lower School students were involved in this initiative by participating in a donation tree activity. For each donation item brought in, students received a paper sock to decorate and hang on a series of trees displayed throughout the school. When the fundraising efforts came to a close, each tree was filled with socks, representing a great deal of kindness held by so many students. 

While COVID-19 has limited our community’s ability to give service in a face-to-face setting, in previous years there have been numerous service opportunities for our staff and students to serve IFTC. Members of the Senior School Service Club, along with other student and staff volunteers, have given time to work with IFTC’s community meal program. This program strives to provide a weekly meal for people in need in the York Region community. HTS has been a frequent contributor to this cause which helps serve between 60 and 90 guests.

Lastly, to support IFTC, members of the HTS community have also been involved with an event that directly supports homeless individuals in need. The Coldest Night of the Year is a walk that raises money for charities serving people experiencing homelessness, hurt and hunger. Last year, HTS had its very own Coldest Night of the Year fundraising team who participated in a 5km walk in downtown Newmarket. This group of students and staff raised both awareness and funds for this amazing cause. This year, we are hoping to expand the number of participants in this walk taking place on Saturday, February 20. 

1/22/2021

Julian B, Service Prefect

HTS has partnered with eight local organizations as part of our Connections Program. The program is centred around making connections by learning, sharing and serving with these organizations. The second organization we are supporting this school year is the Richmond Hill Food Bank (RHFB).

HTS has been in partnership with the RHFB for many years to help support those in need in our local community. The RHFB has been incorporated into the Connections Program through HTS’s annual donation drives. Our Thanksgiving Food Drive collects non-perishable food items for the RHFB to help those in need during the holiday season. The 1-2-3 Drive is another tradition at HTS that works in partnership with the RHFB. Each student is asked to bring in three non-perishable food items that are then donated to the RHFB, and one gift card this year that supports the RHFB Christmas Families program. Traditionally, 36 local families' wish lists are supported by our homerooms each year where students purchase and wrap Christmas gifts and as a homeroom to fulfil all of the items on the wish list. 

In previous years, there have been numerous service opportunities for our staff and students to serve at the RHFB. During the Grade 10 service days in 2018 and 2019, as a part of Student Life Day, 12 Grade 10 students participated in a service trip to the RHFB located in Richmond Hill. During this experience, the group was able to gain hands-on experience of what work takes place at the food bank, while also giving service. Members of the Senior School Service Club have also volunteered time at the RHFB on a more frequent basis. Students have regularly given service working at the RHFB warehouse sorting and organizing food donations. 

12/4/2020

Julian B, Service Prefect

Throughout the school year, our students and staff partner with local community groups and organizations as part of our Connections Program. In this program, we make connections by learning, sharing and serving with these organizations. The first organization we are partnering with this school year is 360ºkids.

360ºkids is not a new partnership with HTS, but one we have had for seven years now. Our partnership with 360ºkids has allowed us to incorporate the organization into our Connections program in a way that gives both students and staff the opportunity to learn and share about the through a series of initiatives that are held during the year. 

Currently, Grade 5 students are engaged in a citizenship project where they investigate a local topic of interest that has a problem that needs to be solved. Students learn about the problem, why a solution is important to the community, explore how geography and history are connected, and then seek outside support for more information or a different perspective. To assist our students who were focused on youth homelessness, 360ºkids met with our students virtually to discuss their perspectives on the issue at hand and help students to learn more about their organization.

In previous school years, there have been numerous service opportunities for our students and staff to serve 360ºkids. During the Grade 10 service day, as a part of Student Life Day, 12 Grade 10 students participated in a service trip to the 360ºkids Hub located in Richmond Hill. During this experience, the group was able to gain hands-on experience of what it is like to volunteer with 360ºkids, while also learning about the organization. Members of the Senior School Service Club have also volunteered time at the 360ºkids Hub on a more frequent basis. 

To share with the organization, Summer, Grade 12 student and 360ºkids Ambassador, brought one of their fundraisers, a “Sock Drive,” to our school. This initiative brought awareness to the organization and generated over 200 donations to the 360ºkids Hub. 

We look forward to continuing to connect with 360ºkids throughout the school year as we learn, share and serve with them.

11/20/2020

Julian B, Service Prefect