Guest Speaker Alex Hennaoui: Adventures in Citizenship
Introduction from Walter P
Alex Hennaoui is a grade 11 student at John Polanyi Collegiate Institute (JCPI). He is a member of the Health and Wellness specialist program and hopes to pursue a degree in pharmacology at McMaster University. Alex is a member of our interact club with JCPI and is always eager to be involved in the community. During this past winter, Alex was a regular volunteer at Out of the Cold.
RTE recently sponsored Alex so he could attend the Adventures in Citizenship program in Ottawa and he is here today to tell us about his experience.
Each year, Rotary clubs help 220 senior high school students from across Canada spend four days in Ottawa experiencing tours, lectures, discussions and social events designed to enhance their understanding and appreciation of Canadian citizenship.
On day one, Alex toured the War Museum. He particularly enjoyed the aircraft and amour. He also attended a lecture from a Travis Kelly, a veteran of Afghanistan. Mr. Kelly spoke about his experiences as a solder in a war zone.
Day two included a tour of the Parliament Buildings. They also had a presentation from the clerks of the House of Commons. Later that day they heard a presentation on conflict resolution.
On day three, the group visited the University of Ottawa. After seeing the campus, Alex thinks he will consider this university when he graduations. The day also included a tour of Ottawa City Hall where they took part in a blanket ceremony and heard stories from elder First Nations speakers about their experiences in the residential school system. They also heard from an indigenous hip-hop artist who spoke about the prejudice he had to overcome in the music industry.
For Alex, attending a citizen ceremony on day four was the most enjoyable. Those who participated were very proudly Canadian. For Alex it was very emotional to witness, and he was filled with a sense of pride. The group then attended a farewell lunch at the Shaw Centre. It was hard to say goodbye the many new friends he made across Canada, but he keeps in touch.
What did Alex learn?
Alex told us he learned about our history in a way that can’t be appreciated from text books. He learned about how the aboriginal people were treated, which gave him a better appreciation for their struggles. Alex also learned how to manage conflict, work with strangers, and make new friends from places he never thought possible.
Alex thanked RTE for helping him attend this amazing event.
When asked “what’s next?” Alex told us that he plans to use his summer doing volunteer work. He will also help raise money for a school trip to Ecuador to build wells and a new school in 2019.
Rahim Essabhai, a teacher at JCPI, spoke briefly to let us know that the YYZ shirt fund raising campaign is seeking corporate partners. If any RTE members know a company looking for logo shirts, please contact Rahim. His students would appreciate the business, and the profits go toward student activities and helping the community.
Jackie thanked Alex.
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