Learning Leadership Through Volunteering

A group of students from Mount Blowhard Primary School are using their time to volunteer for causes beyond their school community. Year 6 students initiated the idea of volunteering their time to support a number of causes.

Students chose a range of different initiatives. Some baked and sold cupcakes for breast cancer research, while others cooked a barbeque for the school to raise funds for the Queensland CWA during time of drought. Students learnt about the effects of drought on communities. More students participated in the schools annual walkathon raising $700 for the Ryder Chesire Foundation sponsoring children who live in India. Volunteering during the walkathon helped educate students on current events and what life in India is like for students.

Melanoma research was another cause supported by some students after they were willing to shave their heads as a fundraiser that led to raising $1800. Throughout all of these areas of volunteering students were learning valuable life skills. One student named Cameron explained, “by doing this we learn how important little things can be and how important it is to volunteer and make a difference”.

The school’s choir sings for Creswick nursing home residents and have began to understand how easy it is to make a difference beyond their school. Principal Sue Knight said “It is wonderful real life learning and you actually do something that makes a difference,” After witnessing the impact the students were able to make through volunteering they wish to encourage others to become more involved in volunteering opportunities too.

Read the full original article published by The Courier HERE.

Photo credit: Adam Trafford as appeared in The Courier.