The motto of alternative education program Cadence is, ‘a leader looks at the world and says it doesn’t have to be this way and then does something about it.’
Sisters and former students Alexis and Madison Pedersen took that lesson to heart when they organized a fundraiser at Lakeside HOPE House on Friday in an effort to save the program for at-risk youth.
“I don’t think I ever cared about anything so passionately,” said Alexis during the fundraiser. “Whether or not this money is enough to save the program, it is still going to back into Guelph’s education. Either way, it’s a win.”
New regulations for classroom sizes and budget cuts are putting the alt ed program in jeopardy. In a previous GuelphToday story, a spokesperson for the Upper Grand District School Board said the decision to cut the program was difficult.
Madison said some at-risk youth will fall through the cracks without the program if it is not saved.
“Not every student learns the same, everybody learns differently and everyone has different circumstances in life — some might have a really supportive, loving family that is getting them through things and have great mental and physical health — they might be blessed in those ways,” said Madison. There are also kids that don’t come from a stable home and maybe have a mental health issue or a physical health issue — or they are just going through so much in their life that they are having trouble getting to school or getting out of bed. If they are struggling with things like that, a lot of their time in a regular school environment they will be viewed as delinquents, but here we’re just kids.”
Friday’s fundraiser included an art auction and dinner. In total, the event raised $742.50, which is being donated to the Cadence program’s board.
“If they decide to cancel the program anyway I will be asking that it goes into Guelph's continuing education programs run through the board,” said Alexis.
Madison and Alexis, who each went through the program at different times, said they would not have been able to help organize the fundraiser without the skills they learned while in the program.
“I don’t think I would have been able to take the leadership role and get this going without what they taught me,” said Alexis.
Madison said she thought about the program’s motto when she heard about it being cut.
“I didn’t like it and didn’t want to see it happen, so I decided to do something about it,” said Madison.
Now in Grade 12 and back in the regular stream, Madison said she believes the program saved her life.
“Here is where I first learned how to develop positive relationships and have stable relationships with not only other people, but also with myself,” she said.
Rob Conroy, one of the teachers in the program, was asked by the current and former students organizing the event if he would come and flip burgers for the fundraiser. He said the rest of the effort to save the program was completely student driven.
“Who knows where it’s going to go or how much success it’s going to have, but for us it just solidified in our minds that what we were teaching them — they actually listened. They learned to advocate for themselves and typically our kids have trouble advocating for themselves,” said Conroy. “They’re looking at the bigger picture and the world and saying it isn’t right.”
If the program is not continued in September, Conroy said its teachers will return to Centennial CVI.
“We will land on our feet, we’ll be fine. I do feel sorry for the kids,” he said.
After this year, Adelie Casarin has one more semester to complete her high school diploma. She had hoped to be able to return to Cadence.
“It breaks my heart,” said Casarin. “If it wasn’t for this program, I would not be where I am. I was not going to school and on a bad path and this completely changed that, now I look forward to showing up to school — instead of trying to avoid it.”
Casarin said more than anything else, the program has taught her confidence.
“I have a completely different outlook on everything because of this program,” she said.
