Spotlight on Learning: Spirit Buddies

Kayla Muller and Natalie Lang, Student Leadership 10-12, Rick Hansen School

Driving Question: How can we get more people participating in school events and create a positive school culture?

Description: Our goal with this project was to create more engagement in our school Spirit Weeks, which are designed to create a positive and inclusive school culture. Students were paired up with a member of staff and it was their job to personally inform each staff member when there was a school event. The student would then take a picture each of the days to encourage more participation through our school Instagram. As Leadership is a linear course, this also allowed students to make a connection with a staff member they may not otherwise encounter – creating a community.

Teacher Reflection: It was amazing to see more members of staff participating than ever before, which then trickled down to the general student body. The kids would take the time to craft hand-written cards and would often boast that they had the best buddy. This level of engagement was exactly what we were hoping to achieve!     --Kayla Muller, Teacher.

Student Reflection:

The experience I had with my spirit buddy was really memorable. Even though I didn't spend as much time as I hoped with my spirit buddy, I still had tons of fun while it lasted.       --Raveen Dherari,Grade 12 student

The student's responsibility is to inform them about upcoming events and make them feel like they are part of the school body. It is important to include staff as they are the role models who students look up to. I was paired with my Math teacher, and we had a great time. The project is certainly a great opportunity for communication between staff and students. With the project, I feel more like a leader to the school community. as I am not only paired with my math teacher but in a sense paired with the staff as a whole.

 --Sukhmani Kahlon, Grade 12 student

Every year during spirit weeks, I have loved dressing up. With this Spirit Buddy Project, it helped me encourage more teachers to dress up and be part of the school spirit. This project helped me become more involved in the student body and it has helped me become more of a leader.