History of the Initiative

Since 2008, Strathcona High School has united annually to turn our motto “as one who serves” into reality.  By engaging in multiple local service projects and massive global initiatives, Strathcona students have had a chance to learn about servant leadership, entrepreneurship, global citizenship, and social affairs. Students in the Leadership Program work behind the scenes to plan and organize each initiative, but it's the mass participation of all school departments, clubs, teams and community allies that have made our past campaigns successful. Below is a brief overview of our previous campaigns:

SAFE EXIT: ZEBRA CHILD & YOUTH ADVOCACY CENTRE (2024)

  • We partnered with the Zebra Centre, a local Edmonton-based organization started to provide support for youth who experience abuse and neglect. The Zebra Centre brings together a community of professionals to provide a continuum of support for children throughout the entire disclosure, investigative, judicial and healing process. Together, we raised $210 858 to support the development and construction of their new centre in North-West Edmonton!

Past initiatives…

YESS: YOUTH EMPOWERMENT & SUPPORT SERVICES (2023)

  • We worked with YESS (Youth Empowerment and Support Services), a local organization dedicated to providing 24/7 support to homeless youth. Over $158 000 was raised to contribute to their programs, which include offering immediate shelter, a drop-in resource centre, temporary supportive housing, and individualized wrap-around care for individuals aged 15–24.

 
 

BEYOND BORDERS CAMPAIGN (2019)

  • We supported Doctors Without Borders (MSF), an international organization that provides humanitarian medical aid to more than 60 countries around the world, to create a global impact from our initiative. $560 830 was raised for Doctors Without Borders to support their programs sending medical teams to areas of crisis, conflict, or whenever the need is greatest.

 

BREAK THE CYCLE CAMPAIGN (2018)

  • Our fundraised dollars ($518 522.00) directly funded school meal programs for the United Nations World Food Programme in partnership with Earth Group. These programs provide the “Essential Package” of food, clean water and education to children globally. We also made a local impact with the Edmonton Food Bank by donating 3 678 kgs of food and 100 000 meals.

 

HOPE IN MOTION CAMPAIGN (2017)

  • We worked with the Jack Davis Hope Foundation, a local Edmonton charity that helps families in the care of their ill children. Support can range from bus passes to medical equipment not covered by insurance. Over $466 000 was raised to support families in need.

 

THE BIKE2BOX CAMPAIGN (2016)

  • This campaign partnered with Shelterbox, a disaster relief organization which provides boxes filled with a tent, blankets, tools, water purification kit, and much more to help families rebuild after a natural disaster. More than $449 000 was raised to help families world wide. 

 

THE TREEHOUSE PROJECT (2015)

  • Working with two organizations, the Bissell Centre as well as Change for Children to make an impact both locally and globally. $352 000 was raised for both charities which allowed the Bissell Centre to run their Housing Option Program (H.O.P) and for Change for Children to build an eco lodge in Ecuador.

 

CHAIN REACTION (2014)

  • $180 000 was raised in partnership with World Bicycle Relief to buy bicycles for people in Africa and Asia. The bicycles allowed for increased access to education, medical care and entrepreneurial opportunities.

H2ALL (2013)

  • Working with WaterCan, the Canadian Development Agency turned the initial amount of $50 000 into $125 000 to build four wells and sanitation projects in four Ethiopian communities.

LIVE LOVE LEND (2012)

  • $56 000 was raised for kiva.org, a microfinancing website that empowers entrepreneurs in developing nations. This money was re-loaned multiple times to create at a total of $248 550 as of November 2014.

NOT FOR SALE (2011)

  • Shone light on the dark issue of human trafficking by raising awareness and lobbying the Canadian government to create tougher anti-human trafficking laws. $36 000 for notforsale.org.

PLAY IT FORWARD (2010)

  • $54 500 helped support programs that use play as a tool to promote education and health in developing countries through a partnership with Right to Play.

SPREAD THE WORD (2009)

  • $30 000 helped give the gift of literacy to children by building a school at an HIV orphanage in Bumala, Kenya.

TAKE A SPIN FOR CHELSEA (2008)

  • Was a fundraiser and spirit raiser for Chelsea, a student who suffered a horrific car accident that caused her to lose function in her legs, and become a paraplegic. The school raised $27 000 to help with wheelchair accessibility at home and at school.