Dear editor,
For the past few years, many of our elementary students have been involved in self-directed community service projects called I Can.
Inspired by the work of Kiran Bir Sethi, a teacher in India and her students, the I Can model is the largest global movement designed to give young people an opportunity to express their own ideas for a better world and put them into action.
Using the simple four-step framework (Feel, Imagine, Share, Do) children in our school district and across the world are saying I Can instead of Can I?
As many parents are aware, the school district brought New York-based singer-songwriter Jesse Ruben to the Valley to perform for, and work with, our students.
Jesse's song We Can has become an anthem in our district for the I Can movement. During Jesse's visit, Zac Whyte, a well-known videographer and community builder in the Comox Valley, filmed the official We Can video with the students of École Puntledge Park Elementary School. It was a powerful coming together of an inspiring song and artist, the creative talent of Zac Whyte and the remarkable work of Puntledge students.
The link to the video is www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Aj9E5lCn0 or it can be viewed on the school district website at www.sd71.bc.ca.
École Puntledge Park has a goal of 100,000 views for their We Can video and we hope that the families in the Comox Valley School District will watch the video and share it with others.
Kevin Reimer
Editor's note: Kevin Reimer, recently named one of Canada's Outstanding Principals, is the principal at École Puntledge Park Elementary School in Courtenay.