LOWER SACKVILLE, N.S. – Elementary school students in the Halifax area are learning this week about a program designed to teach kids the importance of setting personal goals and increasing their physical activity.
The Right to Play program is already active in Africa and helping empower children there.
Getting students involved is not only the goal of the program’s teachers. Nancy Enns and Andrew Haley are speaking to students at 10 local schools this week, where they play games and then ask questions. Their aim is to inspire and drive the personal development of the students.
“If you want to make a change in the country, start with the children,” said Enns. “They’re the future leaders of tomorrow.”
Enns said it’s also important that people in underprivileged countries have equal opportunities. The Canadian government has invested $5.3 million into the “Sport for Development and Peace” program in five African countries. Haley said children there sometimes don’t even have a ball to play with.
“I think if you can help the global world increase to an even playing field then we’re all going to win, because we have equality among everybody and I think that’s what we’re striving for,” he said.
Haley is from Nova Scotia. He lost his right leg to cancer, but pursued swimming and won numerous medals for Canada, including gold at the Paralympics in the swimming relay.
“We all have challenges in our lives,” he said. “We all face hills, some bigger than others.”
He said he wants to set a good example for the kids.
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“I just wanted to instill in them, they can dream big. They can do whatever they want.”
The speakers were a big hit with the students, who will all take away something from the event.
“You can make a change even if it is big or small,” said Emma Gorman, a Grade 4 student at Sycamore Lane Elementary.
Dakoda Dika, another Grade 4 student, said she feels the same way.
“You can set a goal no matter how big or small it is, you can do whatever you want,” he said, nothing that he would “make a change in how we play and not bully.”
Some students, picked by teachers, will later participate in another workshop and then teach their classmates about Right to Play educational games.
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