EMSB’s Alternative School Network to complete 100,000 pushups to support seven year old cancer fighter

The English Montreal School Board’s Outreach Network, made up of 10 Montreal-based alternative schools, has taken on a 100,000 pushup challenge to support seven-year-old Ellie White and her family as they recover from a $1 million (USD) medical bill. Ellie White, granddaughter to Barbara White, a head teacher in the Outreach Network, has been battling cancer for the majority of her childhood, and her last hope was to undergo a costly experimental treatment in Columbus, Ohio, which ended in success. Although she is now cancer free, Ellie is still recovering from the treatment in the Sainte-Justine Hospital located in Montreal.

Jason Gannon, project development officer for the Outreach Network, explains the project as “an opportunity to tell a story that is powerful, allowing the rest of the world to stop, take notice, and offer help.”

As a symbol of the community’s support to the White family, and to promote their GoFundMe page, the combined 10 schools in the Outreach Network have joined forces to complete 100,000 push-ups in a two week span. To meet this goal, students and staff from the various schools will motivate one another as each student will complete 36 pushups each a day. The pushup challenge will culminate in a grand finale, in which Outreach students are invited to complete the final pushups together at the Options High School 1741 Rue de Biencourt, Montreal, QC HAE 1T4, at 1:00 pm. All media representatives are welcome to join.

The first Outreach school was established in 1976 by the former Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal (PSBGM). The school was originally established to provide high school dropouts with an opportunity to return to school and complete their secondary education. The original location was a storefront school where students literally “dropped in.” Over the years the program has evolved into 10 schools, whose focus is dropout prevention for youth at risk. Most of these students grapple with a variety of life struggles, including learning and behavioral difficulties, developmental delays, childhood trauma, among others.

Contact:
Julia Purich

Communications & Community Development Officer
jpurich@emsb.qc.ca
514-483-3477 Ext: 6306