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Community and event sponsorships

Blasting Thru Stereotypes

As part of our commitment to at-risk youth, we are proud to sponsor Blasting Thru Stereotypes, a concert and mentorship program aimed at young Saskatchewan students. The project was created in 2007 in response to a Maclean's magazine article that focused on the plight of Regina's North Central neighbourhood.

After reading the article, two Grade 8 classrooms - one from the inner city and one from the suburbs - came together to find ways to build meaningful relationships between Regina's diverse communities. The students developed educational activities confronting racism and the widening economic, social and cultural gap between the city's suburban and core areas.

The 2007 partnership was so successful that a second and more ambitious project was planned again for 2008.

The project was presented in two parts:

• The first part was ongoing throughout the school year and consisted of students from the Elsie Mironuck and Muscowpetung First Nation schools creating projects around the theme of fighting racism and cultural misconceptions.
• Then in May, the two schools were invited to the SGI CANADA head office in Regina to collaborate on an art project. Staff volunteers and the students made dream catchers that were hung in the lobby.

On June 11, over 2,000 Grade 7 and 8 students from Regina and the surrounding area schools joined the Blasting Thru Stereotypes project. The concert featuring performers - Seventh Generation and Sol Guy - made presentations to the students promoting racial equality and talked about the issues young people face every day. Their talks and songs sent a positive message to all in attendance.

SGI CANADA staff volunteers were on hand to help out at the concert with The President's Youth Advisory Council (PYAC) generously providing bottled water for the event.