Seeds of friendship sown

Sherwood Forest Elementary's grade six students ran around enthusiastically outside the school's premises last Friday at about noon, excitedly pointing to the various litter around the park before picking it up and tossing it into garbage bags.

"They're gonna bring some tree stumps and some old logs, put mulch on the floor," said Nancy Battet, Lester B. Pearson school board's representative for their Centre of Educational Excellence, showing the section of the park that will become one of the children's' "two outdoor classrooms."

An idea spear-headed by the Sherwood Forest staff, the "saving our environment" project allows students to learn about the importance of the environment. Friday, they cleaned up the park around their school thanks to the mentorship of their teachers, as well as that of visiting Grade 7 Beaconsfield High School students.

The City of Beaconsfield is also pitching in for the second phase of the project, the creation of two "outdoor classrooms" that classes will be able to use inter-changeably in order to be in their "natural environment" while they learn, Battet said.

Grade 6 French teacher Jackie Lepage, who spent her class outside watching over the kids, said the idea was welcome by staff and student alike. "It's a worthy cause," she said, and it is allowing students to become more aware of the impact they leave on the environment.

Lepage said she was looking forward to teaching the kids in their outdoor classrooms, but was not sure whether they would be open all winter-long as well, particularly if this winter happens to be as cold and snowy as the last.

Grade six student Julia London demonstrated her experience for the project as well. "I think it's a good idea as long as it's not freezing or too hot," she said, surrounded by a group of her friends.

London said she enjoyed the opportunity to clean up the park. "It was OK, disgusting but fun," she said with a smile, adding she filled up about a quarter of a bag.

Stephanie Ceravolo, the Beaconsfield High School teacher who brought the Grade 7 students over to Sherwood Forest, said this was a great opportunity for her students to apply what they had learned about the ecology to their younger peers at Sherwood Forest.

The visit ended with Beaconsfield High School and Sherwood Forest students banding together to plant the seed of a "friendship tree" in the park.

Chronicle, Éric Carrière