"Young people need encouragement every day. Sometimes all they need is to feel understood, a helping hand or a few words of encouragement to keep going. Throughout our lives, we all face trials and tribulations. They make us stronger and enable us to realize dreams we didn't think possible."
- Catherine Girard-Audet, children's book author
"The team behind a student: parents, friends, cousins and relatives, teachers, school principal, all of whom can help them reach their true potential."
- Émilie Heymans, quadruple Olympic medallist and fashion designer
"Keeping youths in school is everyone's concern. Perseverance is synonymous with confidence.
We have to help our young people feel confident."
- Richard Legendre, executive vice-president, Montreal Impact and Saputo Stadium
MONTREAL, Feb. 11, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - It's off and running! The third Montreal edition of Hooked on School Days was officially launched this morning before more than 150 people involved in promoting school perseverance. Over the next few days, more than 1,000 activities to encourage young people to stay in school will take place in all Montreal neighbourhoods.
To mark the launch of Hooked on School Days, and encourage Montrealers to participate, three well-known Montrealers invited people to join the movement: children's book author Catherine Girard-Audet, Olympic champion Émilie Heymans, and executive vice-president of the Montreal Impact and Saputo Stadium, Richard Legendre.
Still too many dropouts… but the statistics are encouraging!
Too many young Montrealers leave school without obtaining their diploma to this day. The repercussions for dropouts are very real: higher unemployment rates, lower earnings, higher risk of adult-onset depression, shorter life expectancy.
Still, the latest official statistics on graduation, just released by the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, are encouraging. In 2010, the graduation rate before age 20 in the Montreal region was 67.8%; in 2011, this rate rose significantly to 70.8%.
Gilles Petitclerc, president of Montreal Hooked on School and director general of the Commission scolaire de Montréal, reminded those present of the importance of Hooked on School Days and of the importance of supporting young people on a daily basis. "Every student needs encouragement every day. Hooked on School Days is a high point in the year, in which we invite everyone to make a concrete gesture of encouragement. I urge all Montrealers to encourage a young person this week by visiting www.jembarque.ca. With just a few clicks, you can show how proud you are of them."
A wide variety of activities for 2013 Hooked on School Days
Throughout the week, hundreds of activities will take place in neighbourhoods and communities across Montreal, from early childhood education centres and adult education centres to elementary and secondary schools, community groups, institutions and many others. More than 8,000 school perseverance ribbons will be handed out at public transit stops; members of the Hooked on School squad, consisting of young models of perseverance, will speak at schools; numerous concerts, galas and other awareness-raising activities will also be organized.
For the complete list of activities in Montreal, visit http://jembarque.ca/en/official-hsd-calendar/.
Montrealers can also follow Hooked on School Days and show their support on Facebook and Twitter.
Schedule for distributing ribbons at metro stations by students, school staff and Hooked on School Montreal's partners:
February 12:
- Angrignon metro station - Cavalier-de-LaSalle school- 7:30 to 9 a.m.
February 13:
- Honoré-Beaugrand metro station - Pointe-aux-Trembles and Daniel Johnson schools - 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
- Saint-Michel metro station - John F. Kennedy school - 7:30 to 9 a.m.
February 14:
- Jolicoeur metro station - LaSalle Community Comprehensive High School - 7:30 to 9 a.m.
- Lucien-Lallier train station-Saint-Henri and Honoré-Mercier schools -7:30 to 9 a.m.
About Montreal Hooked on School
Montreal Hooked on School is a Montreal-based group of 30 partners dedicated to increase school perseverance and academic success. Its mission is to bring together all partners from the island of Montreal, creating a forum where actions converge. All partners are dedicated to increase the reach and the impact of actions undertaken to help youth, their families, as well as community stakeholders.
Across Quebec
Hooked on School Days are a highpoint in every region of Quebec that rallies behind academic success. From February 11 to 15, 2013, thousands of activities will be organized across the province and more than 270,000 ribbons will be handed out. To find out what's going on in each region, see www.perseverancescolaire.com or visit www.twitter.com/JPS_HSD and www.facebook.com/JourneesPerseveranceScolaire.
To watch Catherine Girard-Audet, Émilie Heymans and Richard Legendre's testimonials:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PerseveranceScolaire
To send a note of encouragement: http://mur.jembarque.ca/
To follow Montreal Hooked on School on social media:
http://www.facebook.com/reseaureussitemontreal
http://twitter.com/rrm
To see the complete list of activities being presented in Montreal:
http://jembarque.ca/en/official-hsd-calendar/
SOURCE: MONTREAL HOOKED ON SCHOOL
Interview requests:
Émilie Dutil-Bruneau
Office: 514-843-2370
Cell: 514- 654-3180
[email protected]
Information about Montreal Hooked on School:
Mireille Aubin, communications coordinator, Montreal Hooked on School
514-286-2346, ext. 201
Share this article