UPEI students are invited to volunteer for the “I’m Thumbody” program, a self-esteem program sponsored by the Canadian Mental Health Association, in partnership with Bell Aliant. It is designed for Grade 3 children and presented in the classroom by trained volunteers. The program started on PEI in 1989 as a pilot project in some of the Summerside area schools. Now, the program is offered across PEI, and is delivered to over 1000 students each year. There are over 40 volunteers involved with the “I’m Thumbody” program. Volunteers are responsible for delivering the program and they are required to attend an orientation session (usually about 1.5 hours) by the Canadian Mental Health Association. Volunteers must be comfortable presenting in front of a classroom, enjoy working with children, have transportation to the classroom, and complete a police record check. The program delivery involves two one-hour sessions in the classroom (one hour one week and one hour the following week). The first session focuses on the awareness of the uniqueness of self and others, and the second session focuses on the recognition and acceptance of feelings. The volunteers provide students with opportunities to explore these concepts through a wide-range of activities including discussions, viewing DVDs, learning a theme song, and making their own thumbprint buttons. If you would like more information on the program, please contact Lori Morris, Provincial “I’m Thumbody” Coordinator at (902) 628-3650 or communications@cmha.pe.ca. Please encourage students to volunteer for this great opportunity!