Maria Babineau, a Grade 4/5 teacher at Our Lady of Peace School, attempted to set a new Guinness World Record for “Longest Moonwalk” by dancing for an impressive 2 hours and 45 minutes. She did this to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). The students and staff at Our Lady of Peace School were inspired by her efforts, and they donated seven boxes of non-perishable food and other items, as well as $1,300 to RMHC.
Her students discovered Maria’s moonwalking talent and challenged her to attempt the world record. If she tried, one of her students promised to donate their fidget toy to the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). The suggestion touched Maria’s heart since she had been educating the class on charity and community work while volunteering with the RMHC for a few years. With support and involvement from the school Principal, staff, and students, the class organized and executed “Moonwalk Day.”
The students were given different roles, such as photographer, treat seller, donations collector, DJ, classroom leader, and moonwalk teacher, in preparation for Moonwalk Day. They worked together in their respective groups to brainstorm ideas and design posters, email blasts, and signs to educate and communicate with the rest of the school about RMHC and the event’s purpose. Through this process, the students developed essential competencies such as collaboration, creativity, and citizenship, which are crucial for Deep Learning. They gained a better understanding of the significance of working well with others and contributing to society, which they applied while organizing the event.
The students showcased their fundraising skills as part of their demonstration of the Deep Learning competency of Critical Thinking. On Moonwalk Day, the students divided each class visit into 20-minute time blocks and sold treats for $1.00, allowing them to brush up on their math skills by calculating the change they had to return. Additionally, the class created a list of recommended donations, such as blankets, toys, towels, and non-perishables, which was shared with the school community. Donations were collected for RMHC on the day of the event.
Maria was so proud of her students and grateful for the support they provided her. She also appreciated the good luck cards her students made her before the event.
During Moonwalk Day, a particular card caught everyone’s attention. It read, “Madame, it doesn’t matter if you break the record because the most important thing is that we are going to help people.” The school staff was amazed by how the event brought everyone together positively. Maria said, “The enthusiasm the students shared for breaking the world record and the understanding they developed that they can make a change in the world was just incredible!”