Children of the World

This project has several parts. First, the students within Peel whose "I am From" poems are selected, will be published and available for purchase online with major book outlets like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. through Xlibris. The proceeds will go towards backpacks for refugee students in the Peel District School Board. Students with my two Language Arts classes will also write persuasive letters to companies requesting donations of goods for the backpack project (packs to be filled with school supplies). Awareness will be raised about what a refugee is sensitizing our students to the term. They will also create a website, for middle school students who are newcomers to help adjust to life in Canada and at Lougheed, working with students in focus groups and with the support of one of our tech savvy teachers. Finally, our school Clan teams (like house teams) will participate in a winter clothing drive for the Roma Community.

Update (April 7, 2012)

The next phase of this project has just been completed. We have successfully submitted the manuscript for our I am From book of poetry! It includes poems from Various students AND teachers in the PDSB. The sales of the book will go to support newcomers in Peel, providing them with backpacks. Uploaded is the cover work for the poetry book which should be launched the first week in June.

Update (June 7, 2012)

The students are excited as their published books have arrived. I am From book of poetry is now available for sale online at www.amazon.ca , www.indigo.ca , amazon.com, barnes and noble and other online book stores. Check out the book at: http://www.amazon.com/I-am-Marsha-Forbes/dp/1469197790/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1339079575&sr=8-4

A formal book launch is being planned for June 15th - however their may be need to reschedule for September.

Profits from the book have already come in and the next step is to plan purchases and donations of supplies for the backpacks, as the proceeds of the book are going towards backpacks for newcomers.

Update (May 27, 2013)

The book sales were very good and a number of school supplies were put together and given to our Peel District School Board's We Welcome the World Centre. A number of the kits were distributed to Roma students within our board in need of school supplies.

Grade 8 students came in over the summer to help put the kits together, earning their first set of community hours.

In September the formal book launch occurred. Students with their parents and other family members, teachers involved in the project and administrators from schools involved in the project came out to the launch.