At Tuesday's Chinook School Board meeting, a group of Grade 12 students from Gull Lake School presented on their involvement in a number of projects where they try to help others.

Seven of the eight graduating students in the group known as 'Action' were present, along with Vice Principal Marla Poisson who got them started when they were in Grade 8.

'A group of people working together to make the world a better place' is their motto. And it's definitely been a global effort.

Helping raise money for goats and chickens and for the construction of chicken coops in Kenya, and holding things like a Pi day, a drama and dessert night, and a 30-hour fast were some of the other things the group has done to help for causes closer to home. A few benefactors have been Ron and Evan Wedrick, who suffered burn injuries in the wildfires in October, 2017 in Tompkins, the Southwest Youth Emergency Shelter's Dorie's House, and Fort McMurray wildfire relief, and a family whose house they helped build through Habitat For Humanity.

There are a number of other students in the group, but just the Grade 12s were in attendance.

Those on the school board were impressed with the students' contributions to society.

"You give me optimism for the future," said Board Trustee Al Bridal. "For your whole life you're going to be like this - you can't take this out of you... I'm really proud of you and your town should be too."

The group was asked whether there were younger students involved, and it turns out there are 17 new members, who are mostly in Grade 8 and Grade 9.

Poisson added she doesn't even think her school realizes how much the group does behind the scenes.