Yorkdale student headed to Kenya

Maisy Wheeler, a Grade 8 student at Yorkdale Central School is heading to Kenya this summer.

The opportunity came through a We Day initiative.

“At WE Day they had a whole thing about it,” Wheeler said of the program.

Wheeler said the program interested her immediately.

WE Day is a celebration of youth making a difference in their local and global communities. WE Schools is the yearlong program that nurtures compassion in young people and gives them the tools to create transformative social change.

“At the start of the year we had to write down some goals,” Wheeler continued, applying for the program became one of the goals.

“I thought it would be really cool to experience firsthand.”

Wheeler prepared an application, and was one of 15 students in Saskatchewan, with five others being chosen as family members of Potash Corp employees as the funding group.

“It was surreal,” said Wheeler. “Honestly I was kind of shocked. It was just an amazing moment.”

The trip, which will run Aug. 4-17, will provide Wheeler with an opportunity to learn more about food security in the African nation from helping plant gardens, to a look at the bigger picture of the critical importance of food.

Asked what she hoped to gain from the trip Wheeler said she was just eager to gain new knowledge.

“It’s just everything I can learn and experience with others,” she said.

Wheeler said it comes down to wanting to take action, and to encourage others to recognize that “no dream is too big,” so they should pursue them.