Five NLC international students from India recently brought Christmas early to On Our Own – a non-profit organization located in Dawson Creek.
Amna Khaliq, Business Management Instructor, assigned her students the project to collect nonperishable food items for a local, Dawson Creek based, non-profit organization.
In the harsh winter weather, international students Gurinder Saggu, Harleen Kaur, Kirandeep Kaur, Sheba MariammaVarghese and Gagandeep Kaur went to local businesses for help, as well as placed collection boxes around the campus. With a small $20 budget provided by their instructor, the goal was to collect 300-350 items for the charity they chose. This project was worth 20% of their final/assignment grade.
Through networking, the students chose On Our Own as their charity and collected new and used clothing, food items, toiletries, a coffeemaker and even a black and white TV. In total, they collected 466 items.
This annual project helps the students to gain confidence, communication skills, and the ability to work to deadlines as they deal with local businesses; network within the community and impose deadlines with their friends for their items to be dropped off.
Northern Lights College instructors and staff joined the students for the presentation held November 24, 2017. One student said that people wanted to help in Dawson Creek — not one person who learned about the project said they wouldn’t help. Another student became emotional during her presentation saying she felt great that they achieved something big by helping people with special needs.
Ms. Khaliq’s Business Management class is grateful for the support of Northern Lights College and the Business Management Department for giving them the opportunity to do something nice for the community. A big tank you as well as the local Subway and Domino’s Pizza for providing coupons totaling $230. At the end of the project, they had a great feeling of “achieving big.” Thank you cards and a certificate of appreciation were given to the students for a job well done.
Finishing off the celebration of the students’ achievements was a snowball fight with their friends as well as International Student Advisor Yuka Yamada and instructor Amna Khaliq.
