Immersion Week 2022 at Vancouver College


Photographer:

Lilian Vernier, Vancouver College

This marked our second year of the Faith in Action Virtual Immersion program. In the past, we have served communities in Peru, Brownsville, and the South Bronx. The purpose was to raise awareness and advocate for the poor through regular meetings, presentations, and fostering relationships with the people in these communities as well as with people in our own.

This year, we introduced the Faith in Action: Indigenous program and we worked towards better understanding our responsibilities towards reconciliation with the indigenous people of BC. The team raised funds to support the U’Mista Cultural Center in Alert Bay, BC. This center works towards fulfilling the mandate to ensure the survival of all aspects of cultural heritage of the Kwakwaka'wakw.

The students have raised over $12,000 through dress down days, via donut sales, our Giving Tree (Christmas event), and other various events throughout the school year. The year's work culminated in our second Faith In Action Week March 8-11 2022. The four teams each had an opportunity to advocate for the communities they served by sharing what they learned in engaging and creative ways. The students also had an opportunity to retreat and reflect on the work and learning they had done.

We are so thankful for all our students who, although they could not travel to these communities this year, put in many hours of extra work to educate Vancouver College students and staff about the importance of Faith in Action in our school.

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