Positivity Works

Portage Collegiate's initiated a pilot project called the Positive Referral Program, where staff and students can give grade 9 students positive referrals. Those students then get a blank referral to do the same.

At the end of each week, two names are drawn for a snack, at end of the month two names are drawn for lunch, and this morning, two students whose names were drawn at the end of the semester each received $250.00 Canadian Tire gift cards, at the store.

Karina Feniuk's one of them, and calls it a good feeling.

"When I was doing the thing that I did at the time, I wasn't really thinking that it was going to get me referred for something that positive. But I'm really happy, and really thankful, that I got a gift card that I can use."

River Wallace also received a $250.00 gift card, and has a similar feeling.

"It felt great because someone actually saw me doing something, and I normally go unnoticed in our school," and he recommends other students get involved, "As Mrs. Bousquet said, suspensions dropped, so it just makes things better."

Feniuk agrees, "It's really great to get involved, because it'll spread the positivity across our school, and make our school a better place to learn."

Grade 9 guidance teacher Kellee Clifford-Bousquet came up with the idea, noting they chose grade 9 because it's a transition year.

"We want everybody to have a really positive experience at PCI, but especially your first year there, it can be a little overwhelming, a little bit scary for kids coming in from their grade 8 feeder schools. So this is just one way to try and help that transition to go a little bit smoother, and have kids feel more comfortable."

Ben Burgoyne, from Canadian Tire, explains why they got involved.

"It's very important in the community to develop the kids, develop the future of the community," he says, "And this program just really helps that. Base 1 is attitude with kids, and if you can get them early, they'll go a long way."