Winona Public School started its first Student Leadership Group during this school year, comprised of 25 students with four teacher advisors and one parent volunteer.

The group heard guest speaker Zoya Gai, a Grimsby Secondary School student who travelled to Kenya and delivered more than 3,000 pens and pencils she and her school had collected for children there. In Kenya, children cannot attend school without having a pen or pencil.

Inspired by her story, the SLG started a campaign to collect pens and pencils for children in Kenya, aiming for 4,000 pens and pencils.

As extra incentive, French teacher Glen Binnie agreed to shave his head if the school reached 4,000, and Grade 6 teacher Warren Collins agreed to shave his signature goatee at 3,000.

Mr. Binnie had also visited Kenya on a safari with his family.

"I remember entering the village and children running toward the tourists and making a writing gesture." The children were asking for pens and pencils so that they could go to school."

He had six golf pencils in his knapsack and gave them to the children.

"I will never forget the expression on the children's faces. It was like I gave them each a brand new bike."

The school community surpassed this goal and collected 12,000 pens and pencils, which will be sent to Kenya via Free the Children.

Grade 5 student Rachael Surla spearheaded the campaign.

"I am inspired to help others when I see various commercials on TV like war children, adopt a child, things like that. I am very passionate about their causes and want to help," she said.

Rachel gathered all the boxes, made signs, wrote announcements and made labels for the boxes.