Stelly's Secondary School

The Global Perspectives group returned from Peru on Saturday with 35 tired but happy members. The group travelled to the high Andes region of Peru to build a school and to install 68 woodstoves into the homes of villagers. The school will provide educational opportunities for children in the remote community of Huatata. The stoves will provide clean air in the homes of villagers, where the life expectancy for women in this region is 43 yrs. Many die from lung disease caused by poor ventilation in the home.

The Global group also enjoyed the culture of Peru, tasting guinea pig, Inca Cola, Coca Tea, and an amazing variety of foods. The trip culminated with a 2 day trek to Maachu Pichu. We are so glad to be home, but we will never forget this trip of a lifetime.

Global Perspectives Cheer: Bombs Away!

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The Stelly's Global Perspectives program has been busy in the weeks leading up to Christmas. After completing our amazingly successful Grade 12 -"gala fundraiser" evening in November ( $20,000 raised to build a school in Peru), the Grade 11 group headed up by Carolyn Hait and Alexandra Bicknell, took on the Sock Bomb Project.

Over the past 2 weeks, the group along with huge support from the Stelly's School community (including local businesses - Rexall and Pharmasave, Wallmart...) put together 300 "sock bombs" (bags of socks, toiletries and basic essentials), bags of baked goods, pet food, and even festive bags of granola from Ms Penny Lim's cooking classes.

On Wednesday night (Dec. 17) a group of 32 students and staff, handed out the "bombs", and served over 240 dinners to the homeless at "Our Place" (Victoria's homeless shelter). It was a great evening for all involved. The Global Perspectives Program would like to thank the entire Stelly's community for all your support and donations. Well done Stelly's!

Stelly's Sock Bomb Campaign Begins

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Did you know that there are over 500 homeless people in greater Victoria and of those 500, over 100 are parents or kids? In 2005, during a cold snap in January, the temperatures plummeted to -10c and 168 people spent the night outside.

Global Perspectives wants to make Christmas a little nicer for the homeless of our city. Our goal is to make 400 "sock bombs" which we will give out when we serve dinner on Wednesday, December 17th at Our Place (the homeless shelter). We are asking all Stelly's students and staff to bring in any toiletries, socks, or bathroom essentials that you may have in your home or can get donated, to school over then next 2 weeks. Our receptacles will be in the front hall starting Friday with our display....

Let's all pitch in Stelly's to make the winter months more pleasant for those less fortunate that ourselves.

Global Perspectives Boot Camp a Blast

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While the rain fell by the bucket and the wind howled on Saturday afternoon, the Stelly's Global Perspectives Group prepared for their upcoming trip to Peru in March, at "Boot Camp". The group of 34 stayed in cabins at Sooke's Camp Barnard. Over the weekend, they dug a trench and completed the installation of a 150 foot water line for the camp, summited a mountain, got soaked to the skin, and generally had a "blast". The goals were to prepare the group for the challenges of travelling to and working in a developing country, and to bond as a group. Mission accomplished!!!!