Change starts with help from PDHS teacher, Aimee Ernst
Grand Erie is in the midst of its United Way Campaign and schools like Paris District High School are fundraising in many unique ways. Aimee Ernst, a teacher at the Paris school is leading the way to success for the campaign she's leading at her school.
Ernst became the lead teacher of the campaign to step in for another staff member on maternity leave. With her own growing family, Ernst says she has not been able to coach teams at the school as much, but she still wanted to be involved.
She credits her inspiration to draw attention to and support the United Way because of the involvement of her parents and grandparents in charities and volunteer work.
Ernst has led her classes and fellow staff members through multiple fundraising efforts in support of the United Way for the past four years. There are raffles for staff, which may include gift baskets donated by businesses.
She has also created book draws for her students, which involves donating five dollars for the United Way and bringing in one gently used book.
Ernst mostly focuses on fundraising within her own classes throughout the day, but she hopes for an increase in participation in the future.
“I am hoping that next year we can do a homeroom challenge.” says Ernst. She believes that this will be an effective way to get other classes involved.
She found that bringing a United Way representative into the school or to show a video that highlights the difference that is made is very motiviating for others. Real change is being made through this organization.
“Brant Food for Thought is a program that all of the kids are familiar with, so I ask them ‘you know the snacks and breakfast that we have at the school? Well, that is one of the programs the United Way funds,’” says Ernst.
She encourages them to give back and support a program they are able to benefit from everyday.
This story is only one of many in Grand Erie that shows the great work that our staff and students do to help improve the lives of many in our communities.
Grand Erie encourages its staff and students to continue their support to the United Way in Brant and Haldimand-Norfolk: