We are delighted to share a blog written by Adela Dunkley, a student at Ridley College Lower School who is part of a team delivering a Global Goals project for the 2018-19 Global Goals Competition.
Their project is among over 800 social action projects currently running as part of the GSL movement and we are excited to be supporting them to design and lead positive social change in their community.
My experience so far has been a life-changing opportunity that allows me to do something bigger than myself that I will never regret.
Project Overview
Our goal to raise $5,000.00 for a classroom at The Center of Hope in Guatemala in order to tackle the issue of access to education for all has recently been kicked off with the Grade 3 Bake Sale and the Candy Gram sales. Both events combined has started us off with $915.00, which is higher than we originally anticipated! Through both events, we have now identified to the Ridley community that we are in need of funds to help provide a new classroom for children in Guatemala that wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to go to school. Our two goals are to raise $5,000.00, and to spread awareness of this issue, and both have started off strong. In order to raise awareness and funds, the Ridley College Tribe Leaders have taken charge by spreading the news, putting posters up around the school, and dedicating their time towards planning and helping run our fundraising events. Thanks to them and the help of the staff and the Grade 3s, our community is aware of our goals and ready to help us reach them by the time our big week of fundraising in May – the “Ridley DIGs Education” campaign – comes along.
As a member of the Ridley College Tribe Leaders, I was a part of the events launching our goal, and it’s definitely given me a stronger driven passion towards reaching our goal. Being a part of the Candy Gram sales, and being able to sell stuff knowing that with each penny you collect, you’re helping to solve a global problem is life-changing, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Looking at the money that we made and thinking about how we can still do so much more during the rest of the school year to reach our goal has made my passion even stronger, because I want to solve this issue and exceed our goal.
The Ridley College Tribe Leaders have taken charge in organizing a campaign week for Guatemala during the week of May 6th-10th in order to reach our goal of $5,000.00 and to hopefully exceed it. The funds will be donated to an organization that we have an ongoing partnership with in Guatemala, called The Doppenbergs in Guatemala (the DIG). Each year, we send a group of students to Guatemala over the March Break to work with the DIG. We have come up with numerous ways to raise money that involves the Ridley community and relates to Guatemala, such as: a blue and white dress down day to represent the Guatemalan flag; a bake sale at the showing of a documentary on Guatemala; a presentation by the participants on the trip to Guatemala; a simple lunch in the Dining Hall (of potentially rice and beans); and to wrap it all up, a paint night open to Ridley families. We are also planning to advertise each event and spread awareness on this issue even further, by writing informative messages to add to the announcements each day of the campaign week. Based on the estimated funds we anticipate we’ll raise during our upcoming events, we WILL reach our goal, and hopefully, exceed it!
Our Journey
This experience has given me the opportunity of a lifetime and the journey that I’ve started has already started to change who I am. Thanks to the GSL Global Goals Competition, I have developed, and am still developing many new life skills, such as problem solving, self-awareness, and thinking skills. Throughout the planning, activities. and campaigns that we’ve done so far, I’ve developed problem solving and thinking skills through thinking of ways to raise money and ways to get everyone in the school community involved. I’ve also developed self-awareness skills because I am personally more aware of big issues in the world and how we can help solve them, but I’m also more aware of myself and who I am. Throughout this experience, so far I’ve learned quite a bit about myself, such as how I love having that good feeling inside of you when you know that what you’re doing is helping change the world. The feeling that you get is indescribable; it’s worth every second of it. This experience comes with the education of problems in the world and how we can deal with them, and through that I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the lives we get to live. I’ve learned a lot more about the characteristics and traits that I have that have never really been utilized until now. I want further develop these traits, and use them to help change the world.
Our campaign at Ridley has only just begun, and with our big week of fundraising for Guatemala coming up soon, I believe that our biggest challenge will be making sure that our whole community gets involved so that we can meet (and exceed) our monetary goal. The Ridley College Tribe Leaders have done their best to come up with and plan events throughout the week, but in order for us to succeed and reach our goal, we need as much participation as possible, and that’s a challenge that we’re going to have to conquer. I believe that the most difficult event to get a good turnout at will be our Paint Night because I’m not sure how many people are willing to pay a fee in order to paint, but I believe that if we can rally our community together and get everyone to participate in supporting a good cause.
The Next Chapter
Having an opportunity to do something bigger than yourself is a life-changing opportunity that each and every one of us should have. Personally, I’ve just started a new chapter of my life that’s leading me on a road with endless possibilities. Believe me, once you’ve started helping to change the world, you’re never going to want to stop, and that drive and determination is a feeling that we should all feel, every day of our lives. Walking around your school knowing that what you’re doing is helping to lead an organization that is going to change the world is incredible, and I would never hesitate to be a part of something like this.
No matter your age, I encourage you to start taking action and making this world a better place, because no matter how small you may be, there is always a way you can help. The Grade 3s at our school raised $515.00 to help support our cause just from a bake sale, because they wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They got themselves involved in a project that could be life changing, and I encourage each and every one of you to do the same. No matter how small the action, an action is an action that can lead to other bigger actions, and contribute to one overall goal. Once you take that action, you’ll have the best feeling in the world, and it doesn’t take much at all.
I’m only 14 years old, but no matter your age, getting involved in a project like this is something I highly recommend, and I don’t regret a single thing. I am calling for everybody reading this to take an action, whether it’s a bake sale, an act of service, or a week of fundraising. I guarantee you, you won’t regret it. Every little thing counts. You are the future of this project because if everyone does one action, the world becomes a better place. My future will be full of actions, and I encourage yours to be the same. Ask yourself: what’s my future?
The 2018-19 GSL Global Goals Competition is now open and runs until June 2019. If you belong to one of the 700+ teams of students currently delivering a social action project as part of the competition we would love to hear from you and feature your blog and project photos on our website to inspire others.
