Grade 9 students turn YouTube-inspired idea into fundraiser for Meadow Lake Humane Society

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on X
• Copy Link

“It’s like a fun thing for the community to take part in.”

Native Brotherhood at Sask Penitentiary

New prison-art exhibit spotlights issues in colonial prison system

9m ago

Tornado Damage

VIDEO: 'Devastating thunderstorms' and at least one tornado hit southeast Sask.

2h ago

Crime watch

Seven charges laid after Beauval disturbance, officer assault

3h ago

The fundraiser is part of Carpenter High School’s Grade 9 Health curriculum, where students take on leadership and volunteer roles by planning and running their own community initiatives.

Teacher Shane Dallyn said his role has largely been to step aside and let students take ownership.

“And they kind of just came up with the idea, came up with who they wanted to sponsor and then started running with this sponsorship.”

Students have taken on responsibilities ranging from advertising and social media to fundraising and organizing the event itself, while Dallyn has watched them bring their own ideas to life.

“My big thing is to make them understand the impact they can have within our community,” he said.

“So it’s been my two major things are empowering them and then letting them see what kind of impact they can make on our community by just putting themselves out there and making their ideas come to life.”

“I’ve seen people step up that I didn’t expect to step up and take a leadership role.”

The fundraiser itself will challenge participants aged 10 and older to remain inside a designated circle while competing in 10 elimination events over roughly five hours. The last person standing will win $500, with additional donated prizes also available throughout the competition.

“So the whole idea is to stay inside the circle as long as you possibly can,” Dallyn said.

“The 10 events range from an egg toss with a partner to a tag game to a bocce ball toss. Like they have 10 different events scheduled and tug of war, things like that.”

All proceeds from the $10 entry fee will support the Meadow Lake Humane Society. Organizers hope to raise between $500 and $1,000 through this year’s fundraiser. Dallyn estimates the student-led initiative has raised close to $2,500 for local non-profit organizations over the years.

For Schroeder-Nygedger, seeing an idea that started in the classroom grow into a community event has been rewarding.

“I feel pretty excited. Mostly, it was what I came up with. So it kind of feels important to me. And that I’m able to impact the community in some way, shape, or form that helps the community.”

The Circle of Insanity is scheduled for June 16 at Lions Park Hill, beginning at 5 p.m. and expected to end at 10 p.m. If the weather forces a change of plans, organizers said it will move to the Carpenter High School gym.

—

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com