160 high school students and their teachers from the Nancy Campbell Academy, and both of London’s school boards, joined together at Brescia University College to celebrate International Day of the Girl. At the event, students had the opportunity to watch Nancy Campbell Academy’s students perform dances that focused on a range of issues of social injustice such as race, domestic violence and the power of education.
Sana Zareey, vice principal of the Nancy Campbell Academy, says the school considers themselves a social justice school that encourages its students to become leaders in whatever issue speaks to them. The school has a curriculum called the world citizenship curriculum that runs from grades 9-12 that encourages its students to explore issues through art forms like dance. They then have the chance in grade 11 to travel and perform them.
Students also had the chance to participate in small discussion groups facilitated by Brescia’s community development students to discuss how to initiate positive social change on issues of discrimination and privilege globally and locally.
Dr. Lisa Jakubowski is the coordinator of the community development program at Brescia, who also organized the event. She says that “this is a celebration that Brescia holds near and dear to its heart as the only university level women’s college in the country.”
When asked about the importance of International Day of the Girl, she pointed out that both male and female students were participating as facilitators. Jakubowski says “this is a dialogue between men and women and it’s a dialogue towards increased understanding… it’s a recognition that for positive change to happen it has to happen at all levels with both genders and lots of engagement both by way of activity and discussion.”
Fourth year honors specialization and community rural health development student, Nicole Willis, says the event is a great way to get high school and university level girls “to come together on the idea that we are all girls working towards the same goal; contributing back to society.”
