On Thursday, November 22, 2018, students from Riverside Secondary School went to We Day Vancouver at Rogers Arena. We Day is an event where students from across the province listen to a variety of speakers and musical performances. The goal is to inspire students to make a change in the world and in their community. Some of the speakers included: Craig and Mark Kielburger, the founders of We Day; Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of current Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau; Jacob Tremblay, the young Vancouver born actor who has starred in films such as Wonder and Room; Drew Scott, a co-founder of HGTV and Property Brothers; and, award-winning journalist, Peter Mansbridge, among many others. Some of the musical performers included: Canadian artist, Sonreal, three-time Juno winning singer, Lights, Juno winning artist, JRDN, and artist Shawn Hook, among many others. The full list of all performers and speakers that were at We Day Vancouver can be found here.
Mr. Robin Purdy, a teacher at Riverside Secondary, is the sponsor for Rapid Change, where students volunteer and attempt to make a positive change in the community and the world; he took the students to We Day on November 22.
“I think that the students learned the values that youth today have to contribute to society, their community and how they can become leaders and make a positive change. At We Day the students really learned how small positive actions can make a difference. Whether it is helping an old lady down the street or picking up a plastic bottle, it doesn’t have to be substantial, but all action causes a reaction,” said Purdy.
Students who attended We Day learned a lot from the experience and learned how they can make a positive change in the world. One of these students from Riverside Secondary who went to We Day was grade 11 student, Janna Grant.
“As a high school student, I was able to appreciate it (We Day) more because I could really relate to a lot of things they were talking about. A big focus this year was mental health and being a support system for someone you know. When you see such big names coming out and supporting this topic, such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s mother, Margaret Trudeau, who spoke out about her experience with mental health; I just found that absolutely inspiring and that for sure must have helped at least one person there knowing they can relate to that,” said Grant.
Many students around the community attended We Day, and listening to all of the motivational speakers and performers will help them make a positive change in the world.
