Loreburn Central School staff and students want to be free of the four walls that surround them and they need your help to escape.
The Kindergarten to Grade 12 school has advanced into the last 10 finalists of the Majesta Trees of Knowledge competition that would award them $20,000 towards building an outdoor classroom at the school if they win. They need people’s votes at majestatreesofknowledge.ca from now to April 26 to earn them that coveted outdoor learning paradise.
“It would bring a new environment to learning for us,” said LCS Grade 11 student Gillian Wankel, 17. “We’re never really learning outside. We’re always stuck in a classroom on a computer or whatever, so if we’re outside learning on a chalkboard that might bring a new type of learning to us.”
The new classroom the school proposes to build is an open concept space located in the 90-degree corner of the L-shaped school and will include shrubs, rocks, paths, trees, flowerbeds and a gazebo. The classroom would be built by LCS students and outside contractors and be ready for learning for October 2013 if they win the competition.
Judy Brown, principal of Loreburn Central School, said staff at the school has been discussing the issue of building an outdoor classroom for years as a way to get kids into a friendlier atmosphere. She said the school has already raised $7,500 towards building the space and if they win the $20,000 competition that would put them over the top.
“This is something we’d really like in our community,” said Brown. “It’s more relaxing and the students can focus. It’ll get them out of the building to enjoy the outdoors and fresh air.”
The 104 students at the school put forward an essay, written by Grade 10 student Paige Travers, and a youtube video, coordinated by Grade 12 pupil Jordyn Hauberg, along with a report on their timeline for building and maintaining the classroom, their budget and the wider involvement of the community for the project to Majesta in early January to enter the contest. They were informed they made it to the final 10 by the end of that month and have been coming up with ways to get out the vote ever since.
LCS Grade 9 student Brock Archibald, 15, said an outdoor classroom would give the students more variety in their learning, which could help them improve their grades.
“Breathing in the fresh air might clear the mind a bit,” said Brock.
As an added incentive, a voter at majestatreesofknowledge.ca for the winning classroom is eligible for a chance to win a $10,000 cash prize. People can vote once daily in the outdoor classroom competition and LCS is hoping for your support.