Skip to content

An early start on good deeds

Parklands student Kaley Ram wins the outstanding youth volunteer award at the 2012 Hearts of the Community Awards
5611sidneyhearts-kaley-ram
Kaley Ram

Community spirit is strong at Parkland secondary. Among the reasons is the leadership of its student council.

This year, Kaley Ram co-chairs the council that she’s been involved with since her middle school years.

“She is a leader who values her team and encourages everyone to participate,” said student council co-chair Kim Blair. “Kaley leads by example, not just in her volunteer work for student council, school and community, but in her daily life as a mentor and role model for her peers and fellow students.”

Ram and Blair shared the Spirit of Parkland junior award at the school’s 2011 year end awards.

Ram, who graduates in June, is this year’s outstanding youth in the Hearts of the Community Awards and earns a $1,000 scholarship.

“I just enjoy volunteering because I enjoy the gratification out of it,” she said. “I think it’s important for everyone to do something to help others who can’t help themselves.”

Through her work with student council, as co-chair, she’s helped run spirit assemblies, benefits and fundraisers. It’s a trait she started just down McDonald Park Road at North Saanich middle school.

“I just liked planning and organizing things,” Ram said.

From Indonesia and Myanmar to Haiti and Japan, she’s organized basketball games and concerts to help victims of natural disasters around the world.

“Kaley has a kind heart and mature demeanour which both combine to instil in her a great sense of morality and responsibility,” said teacher David McKinney, one her nominators.

Close to home, Ram started a recycling program in 2008 at North Saanich middle school to fundraise for the SPCA. She also volunteered with the children’s camps at Panorama Recreation Centre.

Her favourite part is the end of an event, “figuring out how much all my work has paid off and knowing that I can help someone.”

Ram plans to head to Camosun College in the fall to study general sciences and plans to find some time to volunteer on the side.

“I’d definitely like to find an organization I can be involved in once I graduate from Parkland.”