Torch - Spring 2018

Anushri Pundit, Grade 11 & Niki Sennik, Grade 12: Syrian Kitchen What motivated you to pursue your idea? Why is this issue important to you? Pundit: After learning about the refugee crisis in Syria in Grade 9 Geography, I wanted to help those affected. The issue grabbed me because I found it so hard and unfair that people just like me are trying to live their everyday lives, but are constantly in danger because of a civil war. It struck me as important and made me want to do something as I kept hearing about the violence that was forcing families to flee the country after enduring terribly difficult circumstances to find safety. Knowing that there were so many people who had gone through these experiences and had found a place in Toronto gave me motivation. I wanted to do what I could to make sure that after what they had faced, they felt not only welcome, but also completely at home in Toronto. Something I learned through this process of getting involved in the community is that the most important thing is to listen to the people you are trying to help, because often the help they may be asking for is different from the help you thought they needed.

What was the biggest challenge of pursuing your idea? What did you learn about yourself in the process? What did you learn about being involved in the community? I struggled to find the best way to guide the participants to come up with a realistic, working model to give them creative freedom. Thankfully, I worked with Mr. Reiter, the Junior School STEM Coordinator, who introduced me to design-thinking and how it could help the girls during their brainstorming process. Over the course of the initiative, I learned to be more confident in myself and my skills. I was worried at the beginning that my lack of experience in creating my own event was going to hold me back. However, I quickly learned that I was far from alone in this process. I am so lucky to be in a community that encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and pursue my passions. Staff and students supported me in order to ensure that the day was a success. Words cannot explain how proud I was to see both Junior and Upper School students working together to create amazing model playgrounds. I was truly astounded by the creativity that was displayed by all of the students. This event and the people involved played a large part in making my Grad year memorable.

What was the biggest challenge of pursuing your idea? What did you learn about yourself in the process? What did you learn about being involved in the community? Sennik: Understanding the complexity of the issue and addressing it in a logical way was the most challenging part of wanting to make a difference. The Syrian war is a very complicated conflict that involves many different groups and people. It was sometimes hard for me to see why countries can’t just form an alliance to cease the war. The process of finding organizations to help and forming solutions/ideas to get others involved was also a long process to undergo. It entailed a lot of planning and perseverance, as things don’t always work out the way that you would like them to. Since the start of joining the Students Act Now program, our plans and ideas have changed dramatically, but have worked out amazingly overall. We are now volunteering with two organizations that help Syrian youth and we have found a place where we can give back to those who are in need. Over the course of being involved in Day 9 and the Students Act Now program, I have learned how to be a community leader and become a more compassionate, patient and confident person.

Senior School students collaborate with refugees at the Syrian Kitchen.

TABLE OF CONTENTS | SPRING 2018 • TORCH 29