First World Café for SWLSB! - Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board

Hooked on School Days at CDC Lachute!By C harlene O’Hanley, TeacherFrom February 13 - 17 th , the Lachute community membersjoined forces to support learners and their efforts to stay inschool. Many activities were planned but one that stood out atour centre was a lunch hour kiosque which provided communitysupport pamphlets (services offered in the community) andpraise for being at school. This event was sponsored by thetable de la perseverence scolaire, and was held in many schoolsin the area. Students were encouraged to about many agenciesavailable to them. The challenge of keeping learners in schoolcontinued through the week with the viewing of a ‘Stay inSchool!’ video, designed and created by our centre.CDC Vimont Students Welcome Visitors to Their ClassesBy: Nancy Sher, TeacherStudents were very fortunate in semester 2 to have had the opportunity to attend four very differentpresentations at our centre. All four provided our students with information and inspiration that willstay with them long after they graduate. What could be better than that?!On January 11, 2012, Tania Gravel spoke to my Drug and Alcohol Awareness class. Alexandra’s classwas also our guests on that day. Tania was just 8 months into her sobriety when she registered at CDC Vimont in the fall of2009, and subsequently graduated in the spring of 2010. Since then, she has worked at an in-patient rehab centre and aCHSLD, as well as attended university. Tania talked very candidly about the many influences and experiences that led to heraddictions. Her genuine and approachable manner allowed the students to see how a person could sink into the depths ofaddictions, and then rise above it. This was a most inspiring and emotional visit.A week later, on January 18, Giovanna Taddeo, an R.C.M.P. corporal, also attended my Drug and Alcohol Awareness class. TheR.C.M.P. has a drug awareness program designed for presentation to young adults, and Giovanna shared this with the class.She also engaged the students with up-to-the-minute information about the dangers of some of the new drugs that are onthe streets these days. Information that is so crucial for making positives choices in one’s life. Knowledge is power! Giovannaalso took the opportunity to talk to my students about careers in police tech. and the R.C.M.P. Considering that we have anumber of students each year interested in attending police technology programs, sharing her knowledge and experiencewas invaluable!Then, on January 26, Dr. Tarik Razek, chief of trauma at the Montreal General Hospital addressed my English class. Dr. Razekis a multi-faceted individual, who not only is a surgeon on the MGH trauma team, but also travels to third world countriesspending months of his time helping communities in dire need of medical attention. He also finds time to give back to his owncommunity by presenting workshops in schools in order to teach our youth about the many hazards out there in the world. Ina frank and very engaging presentation, he communicated vividly how, with knowledge and aforethought, a lot of accidentsthat befall humans, and in particular young adults, could be prevented. Information so important for ensuring a long life, well-lived!Tara Grenier, a first responder, also attended the workshop with Dr. Razek. With the use of a teaching dummy which wenamed “Sad Sam”, she showed the students how an injured person is cared for at the scene of an accident. She also inquiredas to who knows how to do CPR, and sadly, we discovered that most of us don’t know how. Using “Sad Sam” she showedeveryone how easy it is to do and encouraged us to learn how. This ultimately inspired some students to request that wehave a workshop on how to do CPR at our centre......a fabulous idea!As a result of the generosity of these four individuals, our students have been inspired to think about some of their actionsand choices and reflect on the impact these will have on their lives in the present and in the future. Knowledge is definitelypower!!!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 52 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012