A group of Grade 6 and 7 students from Osoyoos Elementary School will once again be travelling to Vancouver to participate in the annual We Day celebrations after Town of Osoyoos council approved providing $1,250 in funding and use of the town’s community bus to transport the students, teachers and chaperones to Vancouver and back to Osoyoos.

During Monday’s regular meeting of town council, four young students and teacher Ryan Miller made an impressive presentation to council detailing why the annual We Day celebration have become so popular.

Close to 20,000 elementary students and teachers from across the province are scheduled to attend the 2017 We Day celebration in Vancouver on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

A total of 14 local students, as well as three chaperones, will participate this year.

None of the students have yet been selected, but dozens are interested in participating in the popular event, said Miller.

We Day was established by brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger, who have gained worldwide recognition as humanitarians, activists and social entrepreneurs.

Over 20 years ago, they set out on a mission to work with developing communities to free children and their families from poverty and exploitation. Their vision grew to include empowering youth in North America by connecting them with global issues and social causes and partnering with schools to inspire young people to make a difference in their schools and communities.

Students from Osoyoos Elementary have been attending We Day celebrations at the Rogers Centre in Vancouver for the past several years.

As the students told members of council, We Day is a magical celebration designed to inspire students to commit to positive global change as well as getting involved in community projects that improve the quality of life for students and all local residents.

“It’s not a one-day event, it’s a year-long commitment to enact positive action,” said one of the students

Some of the projects students at the local school have become involved with over the past couple of years after returning from We Day include a school recycling program, fundraisers for the local women’s shelter, Osoyoos Food Bank and South Okanagan SPCA branch and an anti-bullying campaign at the school.

Coun. Mike Campol said he’s been fortunate enough to attend a We Day celebration in the past and said it’s an inspiring event that has tremendous positive impact on every student who is lucky enough to attend.

Coun. C. J. Rhodes praised the four students for making such an eloquent presentation.

“It was absolutely perfect,” he said.

Miller said the funding provided by the town is crucial to allowing students to participate in We Day events.

Being able to use the community bus also greatly reduces the cost of the trip, he said.

Each of the students selected to travel to Vancouver for We Day are also expected to contribute a few dollars to the two-day trip, he said.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times