Liam's Story

DSC_0247_2.jpg
 
 

Liam joined the Running & Reading Club last year after attending multiple elementary schools in various cities.  His mother was not a high school graduate herself and openly shared her mistrust of the education system.  After much reassurance she did finally agree to allow her son to participate in the program, but would often wait outside the entire time for him to finish.

When it came time for the big 5K Running & Reading Challenge celebration event, she could not bring herself to let him go that far away from home (2 hours).  Knowing how disappointing this decision would be for Liam, the volunteers joined together to devise a plan to celebrate what he had accomplished throughout the year.  

One of the staff members asked for an extra medal at the event and brought it back to the school, and the next week Liam was told that if he wanted to spend his recesses and lunches running with various staff members, he could reach his 5K goal within the school yard.  Of course he jumped at the chance, and by the time he completed his final lap he had a huge crowd running along with him, as well as a personal cheering section!  The pride in his eyes when he was presented with his medal, along with the fact that he wore it to school almost every day for the rest of the school year, shows the huge impact the Running & Reading Club had on him!  

 
 

Land Acknowledgement

We would like to acknowledge the land on which we work, and which Start2Finish operates, is part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples inhabited and cared for this land. In particular, we acknowledge the territory of the Anishinabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Ojibway/Chippewa peoples; the land that is home to the Metis; and most recently, the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation who are direct descendants of the Mississaugas of the Credit. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land, and by doing so, give our respect to its first inhabitants.

We welcome you to acknowledge the land you are on https://www.whose.land/fr/

Member Login
Welcome, (First Name)!
Forgot? Show
Log In
Enter Member Area
My Profile Not a member? Sign up. Log Out