Bishop ACCSS Trying to “Change the World”

Students at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School are trying to change the world. As part of her student’s Grade 10 Religion Class, teacher Shelley Raymond was inspired to get her class involved in the “Change the World” campaign. This campaign is a three week campaign for Ontario Youth, and is a challenge with one goal – to get secondary school students to volunteer in their community. To take part in this challenge, Raymond’s class decided on two different projects. On Thursday, May 3, they organized a school goalball tournament with monies raised for the CNIB. The second project involved a community wide clean up. The goal ball tournament was a huge hit with a school with all ten team spots immediately filled. Sudbury Catholic Specialist Teacher of the Blind and Partially Sighted, Adriano Simonato, helped with the organization and instruction on the rules and regulations of goalball. “One of the great benefits of goalball is that it promotes teamwork and cooperation among participants as all players are blindfolded” Stated Simonato. “Also, because goalball can be played by individuals who are sighted and visually impaired together, it acts as a medium for breaking down barriers. As a result it helps promote awareness within the school community regarding what individuals who are visually impaired can do.” Natalie Perdicou and Brittany Prosser were two of the students who were key in organizing the school’s “Change the World” events. Both girls felt that each element, the goalball tournament and the community clean up were excellent opportunities for Bishop students to join together to make their school and community better places to be.