TVDSB students transforming the look of St. Thomas, Ont. as part of new program
A new collaboration between young people and the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) is helping transform the look and feel of St. Thomas, Ont.
"'Students Build Cities' (SBC) is all about letting teenagers in the community give input, and then making those things happen," says Andrew Gunn, a consultant and founder of SBC.
"We've been very fortunate to be able to work on a lot of community projects here in the area like new parks and new murals."
The 'Students Build Cities' team, from left, founder Andrew Gunn, Maddie King, teenage journalist, artist Megan Claire Kehoe and TVDSB Innovation Coordinator Laura Briscoe. (Brent Lale / CTV News)
Gunn and his team of teenage journalists have help develop an augmented reality app which partners with TVDSB and also 'Little Free Libraries' around the city.
"I feel more invested because I've seen so many projects that I've put ideas into actually happen, and now I care more about my community," says Maddie King, a teenage journalist who has worked alongside Gunn for a few years.
The new program, which launched this month in collaboration with TVDSB, will see virtual and in-person sessions which will connect local elementary and secondary school students directly to real-life developments that are happening in the community.
"We want the students to feel engaged in their learning, and to be compelled to learn so it's not just because they're trying to get a good mark," says Laura Briscoe, TVDSB Innovation Coordinator.
"We want them to feel invested and then they get to feel a sense of ownership and pride in what they've helped shape."
A 'Little Free Library' in St. Thomas, Ont. funded by teenagers from 'Young and Free Press.' (Brent Lale / CTV News)
The pilot program has seen immediate results.
"We met on this new park that's going to be developed and the students discussed what they'd like to see at that park," says Briscoe.
"Most recently in Aylmer there was a new mural that was going to happen and the artist collaborated with the East Elgin students to talk about how they wanted to be represented in an Aylmer."
That wall was painted by Megan Claire Kehoe, who is putting the finishing touches on a new mural at the Ignite Youth Centre (IYC) in St. Thomas.
Megan Claire Kehoe paints a mural at the back of the Youth Ignite Centre in St. Thomas, Ont. (Brent Lale / CTV News)
"It's a new experience for me working so closely with students and with the school board to come up with my designs because usually they are solo experiences," says Kehoe.
"The Aylmer one in particular I worked very closely with the students over virtual class sessions while school was still in back in the spring. It was absolutely so rewarding to hear their feedback and seeing them realize that I'm actually listening and that I'm making changes based on their feedback and their input."
Beginning this fall, students will be able to provide input on a series of large-scale projects, including:
- the establishment of the Westlake-Evans Civic Park and Curtis Street Square by the City of St. Thomas
- the Tiny Hope residential project led by YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin
- the new Hospice Elgin development
- the ongoing ‘Track to the Future’ mural project
- the expansion of the ‘Engage’ augmented reality app
At the IYC where Kehoe is painting, students will get their artwork displayed next to hers.
"It's just exciting that it's in a public space so students will feel that the community is valuing what they're creating," says Briscoe.
"The goal is to have every school in St. Thomas, so 13 signs up there, that will represent the students work right right here. We want students to feel connected to industry experts so they're not just having their work represented, but they're learning about the process behind the scenes about how cities transform."
The artist known as Mediah painted the exterior of the IYC, and also one of the picnic tables on Talbot St. Next up, high school students will get to show off their work.
Picnic tables in front of the Youth Ignite Centre in St. Thomas, Ont. will be painted by TVDSB students. (Brent Lale / CTV News)
"In the next couple of weeks here these tables that are under tarps are just going to go out to schools," says Gunn.
"Arthur Voaden, Parkside and Central Elgin students will transform these tables so it's a perfect example of Students Build Cities."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.