At St. Patrick’s High School, a transformative partnership with Ciena, a global leader in technology solutions, has empowered students to make a meaningful impact on their school and community. With Ciena’s funding, mentorship, and support, students at St. Patrick’s have undertaken two major projects this year: Human Rights Initiatives and Welcoming New Students. These projects reflect the shared values of community and global citizenship that are central to Ciena’s mission.
Human Rights Initiatives: Making a Difference Close to Home and Beyond
When students in the Ciena Partnership Project asked, “How can we impact our community and the world as true global citizens?” they set inspiring goals. They aimed to create marketing campaigns to highlight underrepresented human rights issues, research OCSB-approved charities, and raise funds for those charities by crafting and selling prayer bracelets, handmade scrunchies, and other embroidered items made with an embroidery machine purchased through Ciena’s support last year.
The project took on even greater meaning in Spring when St. Patrick’s beloved Chaplain was hospitalized. Students immediately turned their focus inward, creating prayer bracelets as a symbol of solidarity and support. Sold to staff and students, these bracelets united the school community, with everyone wearing them for the remainder of the year. Inspired by this success, St. Patrick’s plans to run a similar fundraising initiative during Advent to support local families.
Welcoming New Students: Building a Community for All
With a diverse student body that includes many newcomers from around the world, St. Patrick’s students felt compelled to make their school more welcoming for new arrivals. Together, they set goals to create a supportive environment:
- Welcome Packages: Each newcomer receives a thoughtful package including a school map, a “Little Passports” activity that guides them to meet key staff, a list of extracurriculars, St. Patrick’s branded items, and an invitation to join the Newcomer Club.
- Newcomer Club: Launched this spring, the Newcomer Club meets twice a week during lunch in Mrs. Brasset’s welcoming classroom. It provides a safe space for new students to connect with peers, get answers to their questions, and be paired with buddies who share similar backgrounds or languages.
The success of this initiative has sparked plans to expand. The goals are to partner with ESL Itinerant teachers, host lunch-hour meetings, and introduce the program to Grades 7-8 next year.
A Bright Future for Citizenship and Community
Through Ciena’s support, St. Patrick’s students have turned aspirations into impactful actions. These projects exemplify what it means to be a community committed to global citizenship, and the school is proud of the meaningful ways these students are leading change for a better world.