Student volunteers earn Dollars for Hours
Eight schools received $30,000 each this week as part of PartnerRe Ltd’s Dollars for Hours project.
The initiative, which pairs student volunteers with charities on community projects, has involved 1,700 students and raised more than $2 million since it began in 2005.
The money generated by the scheme will go towards classroom upgrades, new equipment and a range of other programmes at the schools.
Over the past three months the project has involved Somersfield students making bluebird nest boxes with the Bermuda Audubon Society, CedarBridge pupils working with Westmeath residents on an “All you need is Love” lip dub project, and Berkeley teenagers teaming up with PALS to support their annual fair.
“Dollars for Hours is a long-term partnership that creates a win-win-win situation for everyone involved,” said PartnerRe’s brand manager, Jaime Masters McDowell. “Over the years, Dollars for Hours has had 1,700 students donate 20,000 hours of hands-on support to local charities for a total donation of $2,240,000 to Bermuda’s secondary schools. This year the students aged 14 to 18 successfully completed projects ranging from environmental schemes, educational projects and health-related initiatives.”
Students from Warwick Academy worked with the Learning Disabilities Association of Bermuda to develop a plan for a summer camp for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities, while Saltus pupils teamed up with Bermuda Cancer and Health to make a promotional video for the 2016 Breast Cancer Walk.
Children from Mount St Agnes joined Family Centre to hold the Children Come First telethon, pupils from the Bermuda Institute worked with the National Library on a painting project, and the Bermuda High School teamed up with Sunshine League to arrange the Healthy Harvest Garden project.
On Tuesday night the latest class of students to take part in the initiative were recognised during a reception at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute attended by Leah Scott, the Junior Minister of Education.
