Mercer Monday at CASS (21 photos)

CBC’s Rick Mercer Report on March 29 at 8 p.m. will feature the results of the Spread the Net Student Challenge and the winning four schools, including Central Algoma Secondary School (CASS).

Mercer arrived at CASS, the last of the four winning schools, early Monday morning spending the day with staff and students.

Mercer participated in intramural sports and took questions from an intermediate class.

Prior to addressing the full JK to Grade 12 school body, CASS showcased what makes the Desbarats school unique with performances by the Dance Squad, Central Dance Squad, rappers, as well as a video highlighting school programs.

2016 Student Challenge winner:

Macville Public School, Caledon, ON ($11,454), Balmoral Hall, Winnipeg, MB ($12,000) and Algonquin College, Ottawa ($3,364).

The Wild Card submission winner was Central Algoma Secondary School, Desbarats, ON.

Spread the Net is a Plan Canada initiative designed to educate and inspire Canadians to help end preventable malaria deaths by raising funds and awareness to support the purchase and distribution of bed nets, along with training on their use, to children and their families in Africa.

Spread the Net was founded in 2006 by Belinda Stronach and Rick Mercer, and was acquired by Plan Canada in July 2013.

CASS fell short of its $5,000 goal raising $4,600 for the Spread the Net Student Challenge.

“We did not reach our goal for fundraising, but it was our first try as a [Grade] 7 and 8 community,” said fundraising organizer and Grade 7-8 teacher, Marla Adamson-Barber. “Rick Mercer valued our enthusiasm and unique ideas.”

CASS intermediate students accepted the Spread the Net Challenge, a global movement to help end malaria, by raising money to purchase mosquito bed nets.

One net, which costs $10, can protect a child from malaria for up to three years.