Tokens 4 Change: Youth Helping Youth

2/12/2015

Andrea McGavin

Tokens 4 Change is an annual event that uses performance and art to engage the public and raise funds for Youth Without Shelter, an Etobicoke shelter offering emergency residential and referral services to youth ages 16 to 24. Greenwood has been involved with Youth Without Shelter through our community service programs for many years, participating in both the brown-bag lunch program and Tokens 4 Change.

A select group of Greenwood drama students participated in a series of workshops throughout January and February that introduced them to the issue of youth homelessness in Toronto, as well as the role of art in activism and social change. With the support of spoken word artist Bänoo Zan and drama teacher Emily Hincks, the students workshopped, rehearsed and memorized a spoken word performance piece on the topic of youth homelessness.

On Friday, February 6, ten Grade 9 students (Harrison Wilder, Grace Varley, Meg Farrar, Erin Thomson, Rachel Pemberton, Magnus de Pencier, Jake Hawkes-Sackman, Toby Lawrence, Henry Zacher, Callum Stirton) went to King Station from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to perform their piece and canvass for TTC tokens and change. Three students (Callum, Magnus and Grace) also attended the Central Rally at Tangerine Café, where six schools showcased their art and performances. Greenwood students shared their spoken word piece, while other students shared dances, songs, skits and more.

Altogether, Tokens 4 Change raised over $90,000, which will support Youth Without Shelter's services and programs. You can read more about YWS and the services they provide here.

"It was an incredible experience helping more directly in a cause than I've ever helped before,” says Callum Stirton. “It was hard when someone didn't donate but when someone did donate, it was a fantastic feeling...It felt good to perform something meaningful to other people for a worthy cause."

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Grade 9 students canvassed for tokens and change on February 6 to raise money in support of Youth Without Shelter.

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Greenwood College School

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