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伊恩·巴扎尔格特学校的学生们通过社会行动主义学到了他们如何创造改变。他们发起了“干净水生日计划”，以纪念加拿大的150周年，并改变加拿大境内50个原住民社区因饮用水受到污染的情况。丹尼丝·哈蒙德的7年级人文学生们通过研究，致力于提高对这个严重问题的认识和理解，以希望能够创造社会变革。他们的使命是向没有水源的原住民社区展示他们的盟友关系。

自2016年10月以来，学生们对正在面对缺乏干净水源的土著社区抱有同理心。学生们在2月份给政治家们写信，希望能得到回应和支持。他们的时间和关注的影响迅速获得社区和社交媒体的关注。

他们的公众意识活动使他们受邀参加奥尔兹高中的多样性大会。学生们向700名听众阐述了他们的目标，即获得10万个签名以支持他们向加拿大政府发起行动的呼吁。米蒂斯族长埃德米·康斯托克在学生们前往奥尔兹之前为他们的工作举行了祈祷。

“参与这个项目让我成为一个更好的人，因为从小学习社会行动主义非常重要，这样我们才能提高意识，”七年级学生瑞安说。

五月份，屡获殊荣的作家黛博拉·埃利斯邀请当地年轻的变革者参加她在国际儿童节上的演讲。来自伊恩·巴扎尔格特学校的两名学生以他们的毅力和激励精神令观众惊叹不已。

“我不知道加拿大还有人没有干净的饮用水，我相信这应该公开分享”，七年级学生海莉说。海莉接着说，她非常喜欢这项工作，因为对于青年来说，行动主义对于让未来的加拿大更美好是非常重要的。

学生们正在为慈善组织“Water First”筹款，该组织通过教育、培训和有意义的合作来解决原住民社区面临的水源问题。点击此处以获取有关这个学生发起的项目、如何贡献以及签署请愿书的更多信息。

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​Students at Ian Bazalgette School have learned how they can create change through social activism. They started the Clean Water Birthday Project in honour of Canada 150 and to make a difference to the 50 First Nations communities across Canada that are on boil water advisories. Denise Hammond’s Grade 7 Humanities students researched ways to promote awareness and understanding about this serious issue in an effort to create social change. Their mission is to show waterless First Nations communities that they are allies.

Since October 2016, the students gained empathy for Indigenous communities that are dealing with a lack of clean water. Students also wrote letters to politicians in February, looking for responses and support. The impact of their time and attention quickly gained momentum and spread in the community and on social media.

Their public awareness efforts earned them an invitation to the Diversity Conference at Olds High School. Students spoke to the audience of 700 about their goal to get 100,000 signatures supporting their appeal to the Canadian Government to take action. Metis Elder Edmee Comstock blessed their work and held a smudge before the students travelled to Olds.

“Being part of this project made me a better person because it is important to learn about social activism at a young age so we can raise awareness,” says Ryan, Grade 7 student.

In May, award winning author Deborah Ellis invited local youth change makers to be a part of her presentation at the International Children’s Festival. Two students from Ian Bazalgette dazzled and inspired the audience with their perseverance.

“I didn’t know there were people in Canada without clean drinking water and I believe that it should be publicly shared,” said Hailey, Grade 7 student. Haley went on to say how much she loved doing this work because activism is important for youth and that they can make Canada better for future generations.

The students are fundraising for the charity Water First, whose mission is to address water challenges in First Nations communities through education, training and meaningful collaboration. Click here for more information on this student-led project, how you can contribute and to sign their petition.