Project Backpack

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With Winnipeg welcoming many Syrian refugees, students at Carpathia School wanted to make sure they got off to a good start in their new home.

In mid-January, the school’s student council and teachers Jennifer McKiel and Andrea Thio initiated Project Backpack; they asked the Carpathia School community to donate new school supplies and funds.

“The kids coming here from Syria probably don’t have any school supplies or backpacks,” said Grade 6 student Sofia Baires.

Student Cecilia Tshibamba said student council got the word out about the project in a variety of ways, such as morning announcements, posters, presentations in the classroom and at monthly assembly, and sending home notes with students.

“What if it was you who didn’t have anything? Would you want people to do the same for you?” Cecilia said.

Carpathia students, families and the entire school community donated enough resources to fill 26 backpacks with notebooks, pencils, crayons, erasers, binders, scissors, markers, warm winter clothing and other essentials for new students in Winnipeg.

The backpacks were taken to a larger drop-off site at Acadia Junior High School, before they were taken NEEDS Inc., which provides services and support to refugee children and their families.

 “Everything makes a difference, no matter how small you are or how tall you are,” said Grade 5 student Noah Deen.

The two teachers involved in the project said they were blown away by the community response.

“We were hoping to collect two backpacks for each side of the school and make a difference for four kids. The response we got from the whole school has been super exciting,” Ms. McKiel said.