Brock’s Concurrent Education Student Association (CESA) is running its annual Holiday Extravaganza, and they are looking for volunteers.
CESA is an undergraduate club made up of future educators looking to make a difference in both Brock and the local community. They plan various events for concurrent education students, creating networking opportunities and providing various other resources.
Every December, CESA runs Holiday Extravaganza, an event that allows students to volunteer at a local elementary school and work with students to spread holiday cheer. Volunteers are paired up with two or three students from kindergarten to grade eight and asked to lead them through crafts, games and other fun winter-themed activities.
“The best part of putting on Holiday Extravaganza is seeing how excited the students get participating in all the different activities,” said Vanessa Violo, one of CESA’s vice presidents of external affairs. For some students, Holiday Extravaganza is the highlight of their year.
On top of that, Holiday Extravaganza is a great way for volunteers to get some experience outside of the Brock community. “For me, the best part is … not only [seeing how much fun] the students have, but the volunteers as well,” said Danielle Dickinson, the other vice president of external affairs.
The theme for this year’s Holiday Extravaganza is Candyland.
“[Candyland] is different than our Holiday Extravaganza themes in the past, but we have so many fun crafts and activities planned,” Dickinson said.
The event will run on Wednesday, Dec. 6th at Prince of Wales Public School in Thorold. Volunteers will be asked to arrive just before 9 a.m and will be finished around 3 p.m. With the school’s population being approximately 300 students, CESA will need over 200 volunteers for the day to function smoothly. Being a concurrent education student is not a prerequisite for volunteering at this event. Any student can sign up.
Volunteers for Holiday Extravaganza are provided with a free pizza lunch and drinks. The Prince of Wales is also easily accessible from the Brock campus via bus.
Holiday Extravaganza is an easy way for Brock students seeking volunteer opportunities to get into a school environment and work with children.
More information about Holiday Extravaganza can be found on CESA’s Instagram. The volunteer sign-up form can be found here.