Young Citizens Make a Difference
Young Citizens is a UK wide education charity working in primary and secondary schools to help educate, inspire and motivate the active citizens of tomorrow. Their Make a Difference initiative challenges school children to create and develop social action campaigns in their community.
How exciting it has been for the children in Year 5 at Reigate St Mary’s (RSM) to take part in the Young Citizens Make a Difference Challenge and their participation has helped them to become more caring, concerned citizens.
To begin the challenge the pupils discussed a variety of causes and concerns that they wanted to pursue and then, by voting through the ballot system, a project was chosen: to improve the school’s nature reserve by making the beds more bee and butterfly friendly and to make it an environment where other children could visit to look and learn. Also the children wanted to improve a local area and were pleased to be allowed to improve the entrance to St Mary’s Church.
Once a cause was chosen it was all systems go as the children then spent time researching information, sending e-mails and generally trying to address their chosen project. Throughout the journey a scrap book was kept to show how the project developed from conception to completion. Sending the scrap book off to be looked at by the organisers was a bit nerve wracking as the teachers hoped that it reflected the passion and energy of the pupils and what they had managed to do in the time provided and what they were going to continue doing.
Imagine the delight when an e-mail was received in late June announcing that the children in Year 5 had won the London area Make a Difference Challenge (MADC) Scrapbook Competition. There were plenty of smiles on the teacher’s faces as they were thrilled that the children’s enthusiasm and drive had been recognised.
Katya from Young Citizens came to RSM to present the children with the winner’s trophy. The children had also made a video to show what they had achieved, we hope you will like it.
