Given its students' penchant for volunteer and charity work, it seems only fitting Northern Secondary School was home to the launch of the provincial government's Change the World! Ontario Youth Volunteer Challenge.
The program is calling on Ontario youth to volunteer at least three hours to a worthy cause between Sunday, April 18 and Sunday, May 9, with an overall goal of getting 10,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 18 to participate.
At a launch ceremony at Northern on Friday, April 16, celebrities and dignitaries - from Tre Armstrong of So You Think You Can Dance Canada to St. Paul's MPP Dr. Eric Hoskins - were on hand to drum up student support for the campaign.
Northern was a fitting school in which to launch the program; its students lead fundraising and awareness initiatives for charities both home and abroad such as Me to We and the United Way.
Hoskins said he was inspired by the students' involvement - no small feat given his own work as co-founder of War Child Canada.
"What you guys do on a daily basis to help others...that's incredible," he told an assembly of Northern students. "Change, hope and opportunity (don't) occur without the spirit, passion and dedication of young people like yourselves."
St. Paul's TDSB trustee Josh Matlow concurred, noting that Northern's students personify the spirit of youth volunteerism. He said that while giving one's time can help others, it can also benefit the volunteers.
"It's not just about giving of yourself but what we get in return," he said. "A sense of accomplishment. A sense of doing something for your community."
Students showed their spirit at the assembly, signing up en masse to take part in the program.
Grade 12 student Danielle Cairns said it was no surprise so many of her classmates would jump at the opportunity to volunteer. She said many students at her school are constantly looking to make a difference in the lives of those who need support.
"There are a lot of really inspired young people here," she said. "We're always looking for opportunities and this will give us a great opportunity to get involved."
Cairns said she was thrilled to have celebrities and politicians come out to rally their school, as it shows their volunteer work is both recognized and supported outside Northern.
Fellow Grade 12 student Hannah Clifford noted Northern aims to set an example for other schools through their involvement with charities such as Free the Children, Right to Play and the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research.
She said that while some might feel young people are unlikely to be able to make a difference, the students' energy and determination is enough to prove naysayers wrong.
"We're somewhat typecast based on age, and some people have doubts," she said. "I think we always want to show we can make a difference."
Deborah Gardner, executive director of Volunteer Toronto, hopes the example set by Northern students will rub off on students not just across Toronto but across the province.
"Three hours is really all it can take to change the world," she said.
For more information on Change the World! visit www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/citizenship/changetheworld