FLYING HIGHER
Air Miles raises cap on daily limit for in-store redemptions to $100,
Dianocky, 22, travels an hour and a half to 360 Kids from Markham when she’s not working at a camera store. She has completed 10 credits since September — something she never thought possible, though her teacher, Sarah Strachan, always believed in her.
“She was working really, really hard on school work and about a month ago we were looking and thinking, ‘You know what, I think you might be able to graduate if you just put in a little bit more effort, I think that this could really happen,’ ” Strachan said, smiling at Dianocky from across the classroom. “That was it for Kamisha and she just said, ‘You know what, I want to do this,’ and now she’s going to be graduating.”
If all goes well, Strachan hopes there will be11graduates crossing the stage at the Dr. Bette Stephenson Centre for Learning on Wednesday.
The program has welcomed nearly 60 students since September, providing homeless youth with a commitment-free, predominantly online environment, one that offers credits for life experience.
“I just said, ‘Let’s try something new,’ and I’ve grown to love this program,” said Grening-Morash, who battles anxiety and claustrophobia.
“Almost anyone can do it. It was more relief of anxiety because it’s like, ‘OK, it’s not a structured building.’ It’s teaching, learning, that’s all it is: no strings attached, no citations. It’s literally go at your own pace.”
Dianocky credits the program’s transitional team for helping her find ajob and apartment so that she could focus on school after transitioning from children’s aid to 360 Kids.
“I don’t have to worry about where I’m going to sleep every day.”
Dianocky beams when she talks about graduating. Next year, she’s going to take some business courses at Seneca College — a dream of hers. Funded by the Town of Richmond Hill and the Region of York, the shelter created the program together with the York Region District School Board.
“It’s not because they aren’t smart or they aren’t motivated, it’s the fact that their housing is so unstable,” Strachan said.
Strachan says students such as Grening-Morash can fall into lulls where they aren’t actively engaged in taking their classes. At 360 Kids, that’s OK.
“I just let him know, ‘I’m here for you and when you’re ready, you can come.’ ”
Grening-Morash speaks openly about struggling to find dry places to sleep and staying up until 4 a.m. because he’s afraid of being robbed.
“The last week has been horrible,” he said, shaking his head.
He found comfort in a classroom he once struggled in.
In a few weeks, that next step will see Grening-Morash move into a housing program with the help of 360 Kids.
But first, he has a graduation ceremony to attend.