Past Events
What Did Social Justice Do Last Year (2022-2023)?
International Women's Day Civvies!
We held a paid civvies day on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023 and with your contributions, St. James has donated approx. $600 (six-hundred dollars) to the Women in Crisis Organization/Foundation of Guelph!
Blanket Exercise!
We were very honoured and grateful to have Mr. Bruce, Mrs. Jan, and Mrs. Alicia from the Indigenous Community of Guelph come in to our school to teach us about the Indigenous Peoples' history throughout Canada in a fun, learning, eye-opening, interactive way!
Popping Pop Tabs!
Every year (starting with the 2022-2023 school year), we will be collecting any and all pop tabs in the Caf to be donated towards making a new wheelchair for a person in need in the community!
Had Students and Community Participate in a Lenten Journey Webinar!
Thanks to our advisors, we were able to participate in a Lenten Journey Webinar back in February! To learn more about this exciting event, keep scrolling!
Holiday Cards for the Elderly!
Many students came to the Caf to make loving holiday cards for the Elliot Community! These were given during the Christmas Break which helped to make many of those living there smile!
12 Days of Giving Campaign!
Each day there was a new item wishing to be donated. Many students and staff participated which allowed for us to have a HUGE turnout! Thank you to everyone who donated and please keep your eyes out for our NEXT COLLECTION DRIVE!
For 3 weeks in November, we ran a clothing drive with the St. Vincent de Paul Organization!
7 scarves, 25 mittens, 62 socks, and 30 hats were collected to be given to those in need in the community!
During the last two weeks of October, we had an After Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Food Drive active in association with the Salvation Army!
Over 5 boxes were filled and donated! Items such as soaps, toiletries, boxed foods, canned foods, and others were given from the St. James Community to those in need!
October
Here are some of our members with the collected items from the After Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Food Drive before it was given to the Salvation Army!
November
Here is information from our winter wear/clothing drive that was in association with the St. Vincent de Paul Organization!
December
Here is the calendar for our 12 Days of Giving campaign with the Salvation Army! Thanks to our devoted school community, we were able to donate tons of food for the holiday season!
Hey LIONS!! During the Holiday stretch, we were able to make 33 Holiday cards that were donated to the Elliot Community! Many cards brought cheerful smiles and a kiss of joy to the recipients!
This was a combined effort between the Social Justice Council, Arts Council, and our passionate students!
Thank you to all who participated!
Below are pictures of our Lions hard at work!
Here are photos from our BLANKET EXERCISE! We were blessed to have 2 First Nations oral leaders alongside a Metis oral leader come in and share with us an interactive way to visually see and understand the history of Indigenous Peoples' across Turtle Island (Canada). This heartfelt and moving experience is one that many people got to participate in to help educate themselves about the situation that needs to be resolved. The first step to anything is learning about it, which is what our students, staff, and Admin were able to do through this experience. To Bruce, Jan, and Alicia, if you are reading this, thank you so much for coming in and sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us! It was/is very greatly appreciated!
Participants
All the chairs that you are able to see in the photo above were filled! More chairs were needed to be brought aswell!
Approx. 40 people showed participated!
Thanks to members of our Advisors, Admin, and Board, we were able to provide lunches for all those who participated since the activity started right at the beginning of lunch!
We are very grateful to be able to have people as such who care about us in ways we sometimes don't even recognize! Without a second thought, our amazing staff pulled this off for us!
Once again! Thank you to our Indigenous leaders, advisors, admin, board members/commitee, and everyone who came out to learn about the Indigenous Peoples' history in Canada!
This Lenten Journey!
Thanks to the 'Development and Peace - Caritas Canada,' we (the St. James school community) have been invited in participating in their "Create Hope" Stand for the Land" campaign where many people from different communities worldwide will be calling into meetings to talk about the many communities that are 'defending their territories and their lives, particularly in Columbia and Honduras."
The Webinar launch for this amazing opportunity to learn about the world and lent was on February 25th! Thank you for having us!
The link to their website if you are interested and would like to take a look at what the Development and Peace Organization does can be found in the following line!
For the 2021-2022 school year, just some of the initiatives taken on by your Social Justice Council were:
Winter Clothing Drive (click here for the GuelphToday article)
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Spring Food Drive
Civvies day raising money for girls' education in Ghana
Putting up three Unlearn Murals in our school
Unlearn Murals
On Thursday, May 12th 2022 we had our three beautiful Unlearn Murals installed.
"Turtles" can be found in the Front Foyer
"I'm Good" mural is displayed outside the Chapel, near the Guidance Office
"Fleshtone" mural is located upstairs in the hallway near the history classroom.
Make sure to take a look at all three of the murals during this month, and reflect on their meanings!