Final push for Aviva Helping Hands program

Times Reporter 

 

Strathmore High School (SHS) missed round one of voting, and did not qualify for the finals during round two – but by voting for the Helping Hands program in the last and third round by Nov. 25, SHS may qualify for a $150,000 bursary from the Aviva Community Fund.

“We want to create a bursary in our school to help kids that come from families that are disadvantaged,” said SHS principal Gary Reagan of the Helping Hands initiative. “Their ability to participate fully in school is very much limited by the resources of their parents.”

Reagan believes that the program could aid students with fieldtrips, breakfasts, sports, and extra-cirricular activities.

“Some of these kids even struggle with finding a place; you have kids, sometimes, their parents throw them out and they find themselves in tough situations,” he said. “The whole philosophy of it was to have this financial safety net for kids that might struggle or drop out, or may not have the means to support themselves.”

Communities and schools are competing for the money across Southern Alberta; the top 10 programs with the most votes from the three rounds (30 in total) will be guaranteed at least $5,000. The $150,000 will be awarded to first place, judged by an Aviva panel.

 “We’ve been working on this for a number of years,” Reagan said. “We have limited funds – sometimes we get donations. But this was a good fit; the idea of how you can make a difference in your school, and in the community – and affect the greatest number of kids.”

SHS’s Leadership class has been encouraging their peers to register and vote, hoping to make the final top ten round, but everyone and anyone is welcome to follow suit at http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf17039. Remember to vote everydat from now until Nov. 25.