A student group at École McIsaac School has come together to help save the dolphins.
The Grade 7 and 8 students have raised almost $400 for the Dolphin Project, a group that campaigns against the capture and slaughter of dolphins and other sea life.
A screening of the Oscar-winning 2009 documentary The Cove helped spark the effort. Among other events, the film shows an annual dolphin hunt in Japan, where dolphins are captured with nets and gored to death with spears.
“The first reaction was shock – especially when they first saw the film, it was shock and outrage,” said teacher Jonathon Bolton, who showed the film to students.
“Then immediately it was about, ‘We want to do something about this, we want to help.’”
“I thought it was very sad. People were slaughtering dolphins for money,” said Grade 7 student Marty Pockett. “It was kind of terrifying,” added Grade 7 student Shanti Church.
The screening was used as a class project for Earth Day, with Bolton hoping it could have an impact on the kids.
“Normally for Earth Day, we show them The Lorax and say, ‘We have got to do something,’ then we don’t actually do anything,” he said.
As it turns out, the film had enough of an impact on the kids that they suggested raising funds for the Dolphin Project. Instead of canvassing from home to home, most students brought change from their own pockets.
“We all just brought in our own money,” said Grade 8 student Kylie Dewhirst.
“[It was] especially good for Grade 7 and 8 students, like we could make some change.”
“It’s just a good feeling,” said Grade 8 student Cooper Eastman.
Bolton was proud of his students’ response, adding the amount of funds raised almost doubled their original fundraising goal of $200 for the project.
“It’s incredible. It’s incredible how passionate they were about the cause. It’s just amazing, that’s all I can say. The kids deserve all the credit,” he said.
