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WHY WE SCHOOLS

We Schools is an overarching program that includes We Day, Free The Children campaigns, and fundraising for Adopt a Village. It is designed to enhance your school’s existing social initiatives or to spark new ones. Through the program, school communities are transformed by positive changes in student behaviour, heightened student engagement and the belief that it’s cools to care.

So far this year in Ontario:
  • Over 1000 schools from over 50 school boards have committed to the We Schools in Action program.
  • Over 580 schools participated in Halloween for Hunger, collecting more 350,000 pounds of food and representing the largest donation in history to Ontario food banks!.
  • Over 70,000 students remained silent in solidarity of young people around the world, for the equivalent of 470,000 hours.

application information.

Application for the We Schools in Action program and tickets to We Day is now closed. If you have any questions, please contact weschools@freethechildren.com.

A teacher must fill out our online form on behalf of their school to take part in the program, as schools are supported on an individual basis. Free The Children works in partnership with schools by providing free development sessions to teachers, and motivational speeches to select schools. Participation in the We Schools in Action program is not mandatory to attend We Day. However, schools that make the commitment to take one local and one global action and submit two reports through the program, will get first priority to attend the event.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
  • What grades can participate in the program? Grades 7 to 12.
  • Are only schools eligible? We Schools in Action is a school-based program, but we encourage non-school groups to contact us.
  • Who can apply? An educator or adult supervisor must apply.
  • How many students can I take to the event? Elementary, middle, and high schools are eligible for up to 15 tickets. This includes teachers and students. School tickets are allocated based on Report 1 and Report 2 submission.

Watching the We Day Toronto live webcast from your school?

To download the webcast guide, please click here.

WE DAY TORONTO

We Day 2011 will be held on September 27th, 2011, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Free The Children’s We Day is more than just one day of celebration and inspiration. It’s a one-of-a-kind event and part of an innovative year-long program created to celebrate the power of young people to create positive change in the world.

When you join We Schools in Action and commit to taking action and sharing your successes with the community of We Schools, you will also have the chance to get tickets to We Day.  Due to high demand, We Day tickets are limited , and not all schools will be able to attend the event. There will be a live-streamed webcast and corresponding activity guide so that no one misses out on the incredible energy and message of We Day.  However, We Day is not the key to a school’s success in taking social action.  Through the We Schools in Action program, students will learn more about local and global issues facing young people around the world, and will have the opportunity to participate in fun campaigns such as the Vow of Silence and Five Days for Freedom.  Students that do not attend the event can also participate by watching the CTV broadcast and follow-up footage and of course participating in local and global action!

To learn more about We Day, please click here.

teacher development sessions.

Free The Children prides itself on being an educational partner with the network of schools involved in We Schools in Action. We have heard from educators how much they value the opportunity to gain new ideas and resources from other teachers and professionals.

The We Schools in-service model is shifting so that our team can better facilitate these professional development opportunities and work more directly with teachers. Following We Day, educators will have an opportunity to attend these free professional development sessions. Student initiatives will continue to be supported through motivational speeches to the entire student body, followed by a working session with a core student group.

Stay tuned for a listing of professional development sessions being offered in the Toronto area this fall. Dates and times for the sessions will be available in September 2011.

resources and opportunities.

The We Schools in Action program provides great tangible support at no cost for all participating schools, including:

  • Professional development sessions for educators.
  • Classroom resources.
  • Ready-made youth-led campaigns.
  • One-on-one support from dedicated youth programming coordinators.

Free The Children prides itself on being an educational partner by empowering students with knowledge and providing teachers with new instruction tools such as classroom activities, lesson plans, curricular resources, and multi-media. For more classroom-ready resources and student-led campaigns, click on the links below and explore.

EducatorsYouth

featured campaign.

End the year with a bang! Fundraise for five days to help free children from the injustices that take away their rights. Wrap up a thrilling week by hosting your own Freedom Fest to celebrate your hard work.

reporting.

To help schools achieve their goals and to share their successes with the community of We Schools, reports in the fall and spring are an important part of the year-long program and allow us to share accomplishments with our partners, and help students understand the impact that their collective actions have. Please join us in the effort to show the world the power that schools have to make a tangible difference in the lives of youth everywhere.

 

have questions?

CONTACT US:

Email us at weschools@freethechildren.com or
call 416-925-5894 ext 294