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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, June 3, 2010 · 14 Oakville MPP gets lesson in outdoor classroom By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn got a first-hand look Friday at some of the bright ideas and innovations students are generating at local schools. One of the innovations he viewed with the Oakville Provincial Youth Advisory Committee, was an outdoor classroom at White Oaks Secondary School. The classroom, as it is called, is in a courtyard-like location in the school that had formally been a weed infested and overgrown space that was being wasted. However, not everyone at the school saw it as such a waste. Two and a half years ago students in the school's Awareness and Activism Association (AAA) saw potential in the space and began campaigning to turn the waste into useful space. "My first goal was to get a hacksaw and cut everything down," said Trevor Appleby, a KAREN NEWMAN / OAKVILLE BEAVER OUTDOOR LESSON: White Oaks Secondary School Grade 12 student Trevor Appleby (left) explains the school's outdoor classroom project to Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn (right) and visitors. Grade 12 student. "Then when we got out here and we looked at the space and said this is a waste, we have to do something. It then snowballed to it making it into a nice place to bring out chairs and meet." Appleby and a fellow schoolmate, Laura Wheeler, also in Grade 12, led the project. The classroom is not fully completed yet, however, it is very close, and it's only in its first phase. Future student generations will aim to do more with the room. The AAA have brainstormed ideas and worked to receive grants for the project, while landscaping students created a brick walkway with brick seating and gardens will soon be planted. In the plans are vines for the sides, against the school walls and a tree for the centre of the classroom. DESIGN YOUR LANDSCAPE STARTING AT $150.00 INCL. TAX Book Now And Beat The HST. 31 DUNDAS ST. E (HWY 5) FLAMBOROUGH, ON L9H 7H8 LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR Member of Landscape Ontario Est. 1993 Showroom 905.689.1880 www.oasisgardendesign.com The library is adjacent to the courtyard classroom. "It's going to be really cool in here," Appleby said. "It's really going to cool down the library so they'll have to use less AC and it will be better for everyone." The school's construction students are building a shed where class equipment will be stored. The room will be used just like other labs at the school; teachers will be able to apply to use the space. "It's important that students see what they're capable of doing," said Flynn. "We often tell young people what to do instead of asking them to show us what they can do." Because Appleby and Wheeler are graduating, they will no longer be able to continue their work. However, students have already been selected to lead the project in the next school year. "What I love about this is it started out as a pet project of mine and it's really become the school's," Appleby said. "It's a wonderful experience." Flynn said young people come up with great ideas. "Young people are much more able to change quickly, they're much more flexible in their thinking," he said. "They're used to change. People that have been in the school before always looked at this as a waste of space. You have a couple of bright young minds look at it and they see it entirely differently. They see it as something that we can get value from." Flynn toured other Oakville schools to see educational innovations that day. The youth advisory committee is comprised of Oakville students from various high schools that work with Flynn to provide their input on education ideas. Offer valid until June 30, 2010. CLIP L LIP AND SAVE JUNE SPECIAL! Make wine at NOW ONLY JUNE SPECIAL! FOR FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS All 4 Week Kits $99 PLUS... FREE BOTTLES 1144 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE · 905.842.750'S Between Third Line & Fourth Line We're At Your Service ERRAND AND CONCIERGE ~ Shopping Service ~ Concierge Service ~ Home Care ~ Greeting Cards ~ Errand Running ~ Personal Assistant ~ Senior Assistance ~ Organizing Call for your free Consultation Today! 905-691-8516 or email info@wereatyourservicegta.com Scott Evans Owner/Consultant Giving you back what you need most... your time.