One Hen Challenge Update

One Hen Challenge Update

The students at William Merrifield have completed the One Hen 10K Challenge to raise money for micro finance loans for poor entrepreneurs. The challenge ended in December. Not only did the students surpass their goal of raising $100.00 (they raised $177.00), they have committed to continue to invest beads to make a difference in the world.

Teacher Sandi Dalcin writes, "The One Hen challenge was amazing to watch. We raised 10 000 points in the last two days. Once the students realised the point of the challenge wasn't to play for fun, but to play to help others to achieve a better quality of life - they began to share strategies for getting more beads in the shortest amount of time. When the beads started stockpiling, they began encouraging others to invest their beads. The computer lab was buzzing with students helping each other and cheering each other on. They were getting competitive - trying to outdo each other. This was a healthy, meaningful challenge where these students could watch their gains online. We slipped from third place to fifth place over the course of the challenge. That wasn't satisfactory - so they picked up the pace to edge out the competition and earn their way back to a third place finish."

The students and staff at William Merrifield V.C. Public School continue to aspire to do acts of kindness which positively affect their school, community, and world. We are a community that strives to "be the change we want to see in the world." (Gandhi)

Agents of Change!

Sand DalCin has some great news to share about the Grade 3 agents of change at William Merrifield V.C. Public School. The Grade 3 class has been reading books about children who are agents of change: Beatrice's Goat, One Hen, and Boxes for Katje - all books available in every ADSB elementary school book room.

The students have been inspired by these stories to make a difference in the world. A few weeks ago, the Grade 3 students raised $50 at a popcorn sale and then used the money to purchase two mosquito nets from World Vision to help stop the spread of malaria to children in Africa. We have made a list of other items that we would like to purchase to help our world, such as: educate a girl in need; purchase classroom supplies; provide lunches for children for a month at school; purchase a goat or a hen, etc.

After reading One Hen, the students became interested in assisting poor African entrepreneurs to acquire micro finance loans to start up their own businesses and break the cycle of poverty. When students visit the web site http://www.onehen.org/they play online games and earn virtual beads as rewards. The students invest their virtual beads into a community jar and when the jar is full, real financial institutions convert the virtual beads to micro finance loans. Every full jar equals $20 in real loans, and the financial institutions involved have committed up to $100 000 to this very worthwhile cause. Our students have become so empowered by these acts, their enthusiasm has spread to the rest of the school. Every class at William Merrifield is now committed to making a difference in the world. From pop-tabs to shoeboxes to writing letters to soldiers, we are inspired to look beyond the borders of our school to make the world a better place.

Our theme song is, "Together We Can Change the World" - and we already are.

View the video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFy54NmYPyc

Thanks for sharing Sandi !