Impacts and Results

We Day and We Schools in Action Case Study: Waterloo Region Impact Report

To assess We Day's impact, Mission Measurement conducted surveys of both teachers and students. The surveys were launched 10 days after the first-ever We Day in the Waterloo Region, allowing recipients the time to reflect on their experience while still being proximate enough to capture fresh reactions. The following are some highlights from the report:

• 85% of students reported having gained knowledge about a social justice issue
• Teacher respondents also observed this growth in knowledge, as 79% reported that their students learned "a lot" about social justice issues at We Day
• 81% of students left We Day feeling passionate about a social justice issue, up from 53% before We Day
• 61% of students left We Day believing they could be a leader of social change, up from 27% before We Day
• 56% of teachers felt We Day provided them a renewed inspiration for teaching
• Prior to We Day, only 34% of student identified with the statement "I can only make a very small difference..." After We Day, just 3% of students felt this way.

This shift in empowerment, from 66 percent of students feeling empowered to "make a meaningful difference" or "be a leader of social" before We Day to 97 percent afterwards, is a strong signal for the future success in creating systemic change. But perhaps most encouraging is that the percent of students who felt that they could be a leader of social change more than doubled from 27 to 61 percent.

This feeling of empowerment can be seen in how broadly the students shared their experience after leaving We Day:

• 93% reported having talked to their family about the issues discussed at We Day
• 95% reported having talked to their peers about their We day experience
• 96% reported an intent to lead or play an active role in a social justice initiative at their school

With respect to school culture and educator attitudes, teachers agreed:

• I have developed relationships with students with whom I would not have otherwise (80%)
• I feel a renewed sense of purpose as an educator (79%)
• I am better equipped to teach my students about social justice issues (81%)

This year's impacts

SCHOOLprofile

White Oaks Secondary School Students Come Together to Support Education in Kenya

Students at White Oaks Secondary School in the Halton District School Board have joined the We Day movement to change the world. Over the past school year, students took action in support of education projects in Kenya and fundraised over $12,000 through an Art Auction and Pasta Dinner and other creative actions. Educator Patty Toohy says the impact of these actions on the students and school has been outstanding. “I really believe we have received much more from it than we have given. We continue to explore new ways to help out both locally and globally and we are in the midst of initiating a new campaign to get all Halton schools involved.”

London School Raises Awareness about Aboriginal Culture, Traditions and History

Harnessing the power of education, students at John Paul II Catholic Secondary School in London took action to raise awareness about Aboriginal Education. As part of a two week initiative, John Paul II was host to many activities and events aimed at exploring Aboriginal cultures, traditions and history. Students organized workshops featuring representatives from Aboriginal organizations who spoke to Aboriginal justice and education challenges. By bringing Aboriginal education into their school, students at John Paul II helped their classmates forge a deeper understanding about the issues facing Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

We Can Takes A Bite out of Local Hunger

We Can, a group of homeschooled elementary students in Edmonton took action to end local hunger by participating in Free The Children’s Halloween for Hunger campaign. After connecting with local newspapers and blanketing their neighbourhood with flyers to spread the word, We Can headed out on Halloween night to collect non-perishable food items instead of candy. At the end of the night, when all of the cans were counted the girls had collected 638 non-perishable food items for the food bank. Thanks to We Can’s incredible leadership and teamwork, they have made a real difference in their local community.

Students in Vancouver stand up for Children’s Rights

After learning about children’s rights and the challenges of speaking up when faced by poverty, students at Pierre Elliot Trudeau Elementary School in Vancouver participated in the Vow of Silence campaign. Students in grades 4 to 7 stayed silent for two hours and wore masks to show their solidarity for children around the world who cannot speak up for their rights.

Burnaby Students Celebrate Changing the World

After experiencing the energy of We Day in 2010, educators and students at Cameron Elementary School in Burnaby, British Columbia knew they had to do something to change the world. Turning their inspiration into action, the school participated in both the Vow of Silence and Haiti: La Solidarite campaigns to support those in need. At the end of the school year, after raising awareness and funds, the school decided to host an event to celebrate their hard work and positive impact. Cameron Elementary invited another school to join their Five Days for Freedom Freedom Fest, a celebration which featured their own We Day dance, various entertainers and included a special video showcasing an amazing year of changing the world. After months of taking action, this event was a perfect way to celebrate all of the amazing work students at Cameron Elementary did to make the world a better place.

WESchoolsInActionPhotoGallery