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Students at North York school empowered to get involved locally and globally

Click to play video: 'Empowering students from Armour Heights Public School to get involved locally, globally'
Empowering students from Armour Heights Public School to get involved locally, globally
Two teachers from Armour Heights Public School have introduced a new social action program into this year’s curriculum called "Armour Changing Tomorrow." The purpose of the program is to empower students to get involved, have a voice, take action and make a difference in the local and global community. Susan Hay has the story in this week’s Making a Difference – Feb 29, 2016

TORONTO — It doesn’t matter how old you are when it comes to creating change in the world.

“All of us working together to do something for different causes we’ll definitely make an impact,” says Luca Betti, Grade 4 student at Armour Heights Public School in North York.

Two teachers at the school have initiated a program called ACT, Armour Changes Tomorrow.

“It’s a program where students choose a problem then come up with a solution together to try and make a difference in the world,” said teacher Ben Wilson.

ACT empowers Grade 4 students to get involved, have a voice, take action and finally create change both here at home and abroad.

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“I’m trying to help girls go to school by making boxes of special learning activities that they can learn even if they are at home,” said student Hannah Ranson.

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For 10-year-old Hannah, it was important for her to create a curriculum for girls that are not allowed to go to school in different parts of the world.

“Both Mr. Wilson and Mr. Kahn have really tapped into student voice and I think that if we listen to what our kids have to tell us, we will be moved and inspired,” said principal Corey Birnbaum.

Students formulate questions, conduct research and work on developing possible solutions for their specific social issues like raising money and awareness for heart disease or by organizing a basketball tournament.

“People would pay a certain amount to enter and play a game and that money would go to [heart disease],” said Betti.

“I chose strokes because five-years ago my grandfather had a stroke and its really affected his life.”

Officials said ACT uses a project based learning model that will be incorporated into many areas of the school curriculum.

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