If Mitford School students are able to rally enough support, they might just see their dream of an outdoor classroom come true.
The school is one of 10 finalists – and the only school in Western Canada – in the MAJESTA Trees of Knowledge competition. Students in primary schools across the country compete for a $20,000 award to put towards building a classroom in a natural setting.
What the students are looking for now are enough votes from the community to win the competition. Those who vote will be given the opportunity to win $10,000 through MAJESTA’s website. People will be limited to one vote per day.
The Trees of Knowledge competition was launched in 2011 by MAJESTA in partnership with Tree Canada and Focus on Forests. Its goal is helping “teachers and students experience the benefits of being outdoors,” according to their press release.
Principal Nancy Dutchik said this type of classroom helps students get back in touch with nature. “Kids today are very much digital based. Acquainting them with outdoor space brings them an understanding of ecosystems,” she said, adding that it brings back an environmental component, which is something sorely lacking.
The school’s surrounding property, in its current state, consists of a playground, grass fields and a soccer pitch, and contains very few trees and other natural features, Dutchik said.
She said the school joined the competition after two teachers felt the school’s existing outdoor area was barren and lacking natural features. After a trip to the Calgary community of West Hillhurst School Sunnyside, they realized the potential that Mitford School had for improving its surroundings.
Students then created a miniature model of the classroom.
The school began raising money in January. Parents held a charity casino event, which ended up raising $10,000. The students then held a number of drives and events, which brought that amount to $13,000. As part of an ongoing effort, and if Mitford wins, the $20,000 award would bring them past the halfway point needed to break ground, according to Dutchik.
The planned customized classroom would include a reading circle made of logs, stumps with different board games and seats and an interpretive trail system with a variety of native Alberta plants with signs containing codes which can be scanned to bring up information on the plants. A wooden play structure and teepee would also be included. The teepee would be built with help from the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
As part of their campaign, students will have a launch event April 2, where they’ll present their model to the Rocky View Schools board and officially begin the campaign nationally.
On April 21, coinciding with Earth Day, they’ll undertake community cleanups and reaching out to other local schools to vote for Mitford.
The school will then hold a community-wide party May 8 to celebrate their efforts, whether they win or not, the principal said.
Principal Judi Pyves of St. Paul Elementary in New Brunswick, whose school won in 2011, said the outdoor classroom has helped students gain value on the natural world.
“It’s important for the kids to appreciate nature and environment; they get angry if someone comes by and defaces it.”
Voting starts April 7 and runs until May 4. To help Mitford achieve its goal, visit mitford.rockyview.ab.ca/outdoor-classroom for links to register to vote.
