To celebrate National Bubble Gum Day, which was Feb. 3, students at South Branch Elementary School and Centennial ‘67 Public School blew bubbles to raise funds for the Upper Canada District School Board’s (UCDSB) Champions for Kids (C4K) Foundation.
To chew gum and blow bubbles at school, students bought a license by making a donation. Between the two schools, $1,047 was raised during the one-day event.
South Branch Elementary School Principal Tanya Preston says National Bubble Gum Day was a fun way to involve kids in a school-wide activity, but to also raise donations and awareness for C4K.
“Bubble gum brings an element to the school that we don't normally see in a day. Combining that with the opportunity to further educate students on the importance of helping others,” Preston says that leading up to the day students were excited and it was the talk of the school.
The theme for February at the school is kindness, helping others and giving back. “Today was an excellent opportunity of character. A student said to her teacher, she had overheard another student in a different grade say she had forgotten her money to get a license. The student who heard this did not know her but knew what she was wearing and asked her teacher to help find her so that she could share her donation with her so that the other student could participate,” says Preston.
At South Branch Elementary School, National Bubble Gum Day concluded in the school’s gymnasium for a friendly competition to see who could blow the best bubble in each grade, which also included a staff category. With special guest judge, TUSK, the district’s Kindness elephant, to help select the winners.
Amelia Benning, a Grade 6 student at South Branch Elementary School says it was a ‘cool experience’ to chew gum at school and watch her classmates have fun during the friendly competition. Benning adds that it is important for her to help others.
“I love how donations work and am passionate about the importance of helping people in need, especially since some people are not as fortunate as others.”
Classmate Annah Reynolds agrees adding that gum at school is not usually allowed and it was nice to see the entire school community come together and chew gum but to also help others.
“It was a lot of fun to see classmates blowing different kinds of bubbles – some small, some large, and some shaped differently,” says Reynolds.
Champions for Kids helps level the playing field for UCDSB students and their families, with a focus on aiding children to participate in summer camps, sports, dance lessons, and other activities that help them thrive outside the classroom. The foundation also helps families with unexpected costs or when they need extra support, providing items such as eyeglasses, EpiPens, and warm clothing during the winter.
“We are always so thankful when our schools host activities like these. It’s fun for students, it raises the profiles of the foundation and all donations raised go right back to our students,” says Casey Nelson, President of the Champions for Kids Foundation. “Thank you on behalf of the foundation and all the students these funds will help.”
For media inquiries, please contact:
April Scott-Clarke
Manager of Communications
Upper Canada District School Board
[email protected]