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Another successful seasonal gathering to give thanks to our tutors, supporters and to honour our hardworking students!
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This September we returned to school with the great news that the room we facilitate Homework Club in would be our very own for the year and so with giddy delight, we scrubbed, washed, bleached, and reorganized every little nook and cranny until it felt like a reflection of us – simple and welcoming. On our first day back, I opened the door at 3pm to a slew of youth eager to settle back into their routine. Bags slung on the floor, eager to fill up on snacks and a get a good seat with friends. As always, there was the shy newcomer who just wanted to check it out and get a feel for what we do. In most instances, we find they return again and again until its commonplace, just a typical part of their daily routine that can’t be missed.
Journal entry from HWC Faciliator Kaitlee Simonson: The last few weeks have been a flurry of busyness at Britannia as we once again say goodbye to a spectacular group of graduates. Each year without fail, we look back, remembering how rambunctious they were in Grade 8 and thinking ‘goodness how are we going to get through five years with them’ to June of their senior year questioning how we will ever let them go. It’s a tremendous grieving process that often goes unnoticed or is easily dismissed amongst the chaos of graduation season, and yet the loss of these young people who we have witnessed and worked through trials, triumphs, and tribulations with is significant. A part of our hearts belongs to them, and I’m told saying farewell and letting them grow beyond the confines of our little school never gets easier. I was lucky enough to be on the stage again this year while the graduates walked across and received their diplomas, smiling ear to ear with pride and admiration at our Homework Club students, all of whom won scholarships and bursaries, some honoured with school and district awards and even witnessing one proud attendee read the valedictory speech to her class – what a moment to behold. It is because of Homework Club alone that I get to forge these bonds with the graduates every year. One such student that stood out for me was Grace Caruso. A die-hard attendee since Grade 8, our Grace is a fierce social justice warrior, keen editor of our school paper, academic phenom and all around wonderfully creative young person. For her, like so many others, the very best part of our club are all the little moments that happen in between getting work done; the friendships you forge while sharing a meal, the connections built with tutors and the conversations that grow into meaningful discussion and dialogue. Always eager to learn and create opportunity, Grace’s best advice is to find within yourself a strong and consistent work ethic and make your passions a reality. Get involved in the school in new and interesting ways and mentor younger grades in how to apply their skills to community endeavours. Growing up in East Van, Grace knows there is opportunity abound, but you must make it happen for yourself. Next year, she plans to go to UBC for journalism and perhaps study law in years to come, always with a plan to continue supporting Britannia and Homework Club, the place she called home for five incredible years. To all the graduates at Britannia this year, we praise you and this momentous occasion and look forward to all the amazing ways you will change the world anew.  GIANT congratulations to our 2023 graduates! We are so proud of you! We gathered on December 15, 2022 to give thanks and appreciation to our students for all their hard work! Here are some pictures from the gathering. On behalf of our team at Org name, I’m pleased to share that we have just won a 2022 Ted Rogers Community Grant to further develop our program that helps <insert details on program receiving funding>. The grant will help us continue to offer this critical program to youth across our community, needed now more than ever.
You can read the full news release here or below. Ted Rogers Community Grants are awarded to registered charitable organizations or non-profits in Canada that are providing programming to youth ages 15-29 in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, digital literacy or health and sport. We’d be happy to make someone available for an interview to speak more about the impact of the grant and our local youth program. Please reach out to me directly at <phone, email) to set something up at your convenience. Thank you for considering the story! Name (signature) +++++++++++++++++++ ROGERS HELPS OVER 50,000 YOUTH THROUGH 2022 COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM TORONTO, November 3, 2022 – Rogers Communications announced today it had awarded its 2022 Ted Rogers Community Grants to over 70 registered charities and non-profits. The Community Grants program supports youth aged 15-29 in the areas of education, digital literacy, health, sport, and entrepreneurship. “We are proud to partner with local organizations to help young Canadians reach their full potential,” said Tony Staffieri, President and CEO, Rogers Communications. “Our youth are the future, and we need to do everything we can to give them the best start in life." Since 2017, Rogers has awarded hundreds of Ted Rogers Community Grants for programs that support equity-deserving youth. This year, recipient organizations will help over 50,000 youth in 250 communities across the country. Rogers invests $5 million annually to create educational opportunities for Canadian youth, including through Community Grants and Ted Rogers Scholarships. It has also contributed more than $10 million over the past decade to create access to youth sports programming through Jays Care Foundation. For a full list of recipients across Canada, please visit here. PARTNER QUOTES: “Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association is grateful to Ted Rogers Community Grant for their donation in support of CIWA’s Youth Mentorship for Immigrant Girls. The project will support the settlement and integration of immigrant girls between the ages of 14 to 21 in school and community while focusing on enhancing their cross-cultural understanding and career readiness. We believe that when young people feel inspired and empowered, they are motivated to seek out and pursue growth opportunities that ensure career readiness and success.”
“Choices for Youth is grateful to have been chosen to receive a 2022 Ted RogersCommunity Grant. For over 30 years Choices for Youth has been changing the lives of young people in our community. We believe that every young person has immense potential, and that with the right set of supports they can achieve their goals. This funding will support our mission to help vulnerable youth secure stable housing, employment, and education while improving health and family stability.”
“NII Explore believes that STEM education is for everyone—and that’s why we are thrilled to be partnering with Rogers to bring high-quality STEM education to communities in Bruce, Grey and Huron counties. With the support of the Ted RogersCommunity Grant, NII Explore will be able to bring the latest technologies to rural students, helping prepare them for the workforce of tomorrow.”
"NPower Canada is honoured to have been named one of Ted Rogers Community Grant 2022 recipients. With Rogers support, NPower Canada will be able to provide in-demand technical training, professional development, and job placement support to 800 underserved youth across the GTA, and help them launch into meaningful and sustainable careers in the digital sector. Together, we can provide employment access to young Canadian job-seekers who need it most and work towards a more equitable society."
“The Ted Rogers Community Grant will allow us to offer one year of our Leaders 4 Life program. Thanks to Rogers, this program is offered at no cost to up to 70 participants at three Clubhouses. Leaders 4 Life is a year-round leaders-in-training program for youth. The program supports vital soft skills development. Plus, it inspires youth to set, reach and attain their goals. Finally, it better prepares them to overcome life’s obstacles. We are grateful to Rogers for their continuous support of BGC Ottawa.”
“Éducaide is fortunate to have the support of Ted Rogers Community Grants for its new project, the Hubble Journey. Thank you very much for recognizing the importance of equipping young people so that, through their perseverence in school, they can reach their full potential and actively participate in building our society. This generous contribution will allow us to continue our direct actions in the field and make a difference with vulnerable teenagers. ”
Rogers is a leading Canadian technology and media company that provides communications services and entertainment to consumers and businesses. Rogersshares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). For more information, please visit: www.rogers.com or http://investors.rogers.com. For more information [email protected] 1-844-226-1338 by Katie Simonson
Our Sammy-boy. A young man who we sometimes refer to as the “dad” at Homework Club for his jokes and quirky demeanour is now the proud valedictorian of his 2022 graduating class and we couldn’t be more chuffed about this. Sam was born in Chicago, grew up in North Carolina and moved to Vancouver in 2015. Having been raised by a theologian and pastor, Sam has strong moral roots and a guiding compass that keeps him steady. Since beginning at Britannia in Grade 8, Sam has attended Homework Club and treated our space like a second home. Often with his moppy haired head in a book, Sam’s academic success in the IB program proved that he was a force to be reckoned with and would gladly take on most anyone in a debate about pretty much anything, especially if it was about how many snacks he was allowed to have at Homework Club. If he ever showed up late, it’s because he was training with the cross-country team, a pursuit he has enjoyed all throughout high school. There he met Trevor Stokes, head teacher at Streetfront, our beloved junior alternative program, and a man who is idolized by most and equal to none. In his early years, Sam and his friends worked to build the team and program alike and can now proudly say he has run two full marathons and four half-marathons. Sam is an old soul and considers writing one of his favourite pastimes. He has been a Poetry in Voice enthusiast and was Senior Competition winner in Grade 10. I had the great honour of placing the valedictory sash around his head and sending him off with best wishes before the grads entered the ceremony. Sam spoke with eloquence, ease and a little bit of sass, playfully poking fun and offering heartfelt words of insight and thoughtfulness. One such quote that stayed with me was this . . . The essence of what I’m trying to say here is that Britannia isn’t a building. It’s a story. And in the words of writer Sam Wells, “we live our life in stories.” Each of us has come to carry the spirit of Britannia in a beautifully unique way, and as we depart from here to whatever comes next . . . each one of our faces will remain engrained on the diverse fabric of its ongoing life. So congratulations, bruins, not only for grabbing a square with your name on it, but for becoming part of a story with your name in it. I felt this part truly reflected his time at Britannia and the experience that we try to promote at Homework Club every day when we unstack the chairs, turn on the kettle, open the sign-in desk and let the afternoon unfold . . . It’s as Evelyn Wang says in the movie “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “we’re all useless alone.” And it’s not just that we need each other, it’s that what it means to exist as individuals is fundamentally bound up in what it means to exist with others. Our future success will not be an individual matter of chasing acclaim or status, but a collective matter of becoming brothers and sisters—defined in the moments where you extend your hand to the vulnerable neighbour, where you service yourself to a community in need. In this case, Bruins, your success has begun at Britannia. And though I can’t tell you exactly what shape success will take in each of our lives, I can tell you that it will be a matter of the family we become along the way, and the stories of love, pain, and laughter we learn to inhabit with one another. by Katie Simonson
January brought with it an extra week of winter break for our students as the rising number of COVID cases skyrocketed. In an attempt to control the chaos, staff were asked to come to work while the students stayed home. You’d think for most, an extra week off would be a dream come true, but for many of our kids who have little to do and nowhere else to go they were eager for the return. New protocols also meant we had to make some adjustments at Homework Club. Our beloved “Nutella with extra Nutella” sandwiches had to be put on hold and so we were back to packaged goodies and spaced-out seating with limited numbers. Anxious heads peering around the corner on our first day back was familiar as we had been here before, but somehow it felt just as discouraging to know our little program would once again have to readjust to the reality of this world. But what was perhaps most difficult to accept is that the tutors would not be available in-person and this seems to be news that our kids never quite get used to. It says so much about the tutors impact on their young lives – that hanging out once or twice a week for even a few hours means everything. The relationship building, consistency and academic support does not go unnoticed or unfelt. Its significant and purposeful work. We often talk as a staff that each student at our school deserves to have one adult who is crazy about them and the beloved tutors at Homework Club are truly a part of that mantra. We hope to soon return to the hustle and bustle, organized chaos, laughter and creative energy that fuels our program and to welcome back our wonderful tutors with socially distanced open arms. by Katie Simonson
This school year started a little later than usual with a feeling that was full of excitement about returning to full-time classes and perhaps a little disappointment as safety protocols were still being held in place. The entire district moved to a semester model with the attitude that if we went into lockdown again it’s likely that four classes would be much easier to manage than eight for both staff and students. And so it began, the bustling hallways filled with chaos and laughter and playful brawling, witnessing the wide-eyed shock of Grade 8 students and the cool collectedness that the seniors finally get to live out after all these years. There is always an energy, a buzz, a momentum that makes you a little more cheery and animated and full of zest. September marks a new year of sorts where you are eager to do things better and with more ferocity. Its infectious and perhaps unlike most other workplaces. We made the decision to start Homework Club in the latter half of the month with the thoughtful attitude that it might be good for the students to get a week of class time under their belt before actually needing to do much homework. Clearly, this was the wrong call as we were met with exaggerated and very dramatic outrage by our regular attendees who could hardly wait to return to the club. I was often called out in the hallways by an overeager student proclaiming, “when is it starting and will you be there?” or kids frantically coming down to my office asking for details because they didn’t want to miss out on the big return. The greatest concern, however, was around the status of the tutors. Our wonderful volunteers had worked diligently on Zoom last school year to offer what is always an unparalleled service, but as most of us have experienced over this difficult time, it just doesn’t compare to an in-person encounter. We were not confident that the tutors would be able to return and so held back on giving a straight answer. During a nerve-wracking meeting with the administrative team we learned that indeed they could come back in-person and were thrilled to welcome them. I feel that so much of their presence and the students longing for their return is a collective hope for normalcy again; what is known and comfortable and simple in their sometimes complex lives. The other day, while I was making sandwiches for the kids, a student who had started attending last year and so had only experienced packaged snacks said to me “so what are the sandwiches all about?” and a senior student turned to her and said “this is what Homework Club used to be. This is what we know. Its tradition!” and it warmed my heart to think that even something as simple as a Nutella and peanut butter sandwich provided a small sense of routine and familiarity and goodness. As we look towards this first early break in the school year to celebrate Thanksgiving and all that we have been given, I am mindful of the continuous and often daily support our students need. Sometimes essentials that we take for granted are scarce and it’s our great privilege and responsibility to provide a space and the resources for them to feel supported and cared for. This season, I am excited to begin this journey once again with old faces and new coming through the Homework Club door, eager for fellowship and fun, treats and great conversation. – Katie Simonson Homework Club Facilitator |
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