The Canadian Federation of University Women Aurora/Newmarket Club is working with the York Region Children's Aid Society to encourage young wards to stay in highschool: attend regularly, try hard, achieve academic success. The club is a not-for-profit women's organization devoted to furthering and empowering education for women and girls. On average in Ontario, only 46% of wards complete highschool. This is NOT good enough! Part of our organization's missions is to encourage education - higher education. We have worked out a joint program whereby wards in grades 9 and 10 who attend classes regularly, put forth good effort and / or attain academic success are recognized, treated and rewarded with a gift card, diploma, flowers, a party, speeches ..We want these young ladies to feel good about themselves and learn to value and appreciate how education is the key to their success as independednt adults.
We'd lile to expand our program to involve perhaps another service club so that young male wards could be recognized as well.
As well, our local club provides a yearly award of $1000 to a YRl ward who is transitioning out of "care" to assit with her higher educatiob expenses. These young people won't go on to higher education if they don't persevere and STAY IN SCHOOL!