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Project Oasis blooms at White OaksOAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFmy petNo one likes to be cooped up inside, doing schoolwork,on a nice sunny day.myThanks to the schools recently completed outdoor vetclassroom, many students at White Oaks SecondarySchool may get a break from such an experience.Dubbed Oasis, the long-term project saw a vacantspace between the school building and library transformedDr. Gesa Kohn-GouldVeterinarian & Ownerinto a beautiful stone patio, complete with multiple gar-myanimalhospital.cadens featuring a wide variety of blooming plants and evena few trees.Project Oasis was the brainchild of White OaksAwareness and Activism Association (AAA) membersLyme DiseaseTrevor Appleby and Laura Wheeler who started work onyme Disease in dogs can be a nasty, the outdoor classroom back in 2008.Ldebilitating condition. Caused by theAppleby and Wheeler, however, graduated high schoolbacterium Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted bybefore they could see their vision realized, but turned thethe blacklegged tick, symptoms include fever, project over to fellow AAA members Ellie Hannaford andswelling of joints, lameness, depression andThomas Obeuf.loss of appetite. Its been so long that weve seen it under construction.Animals that normally inhabit brush andEven before, I remember coming here and this was just anforested areas may be infected with Borrelia.empty lot and I was just very unhappy with it. I didnt likeThese animals can transmit the bacteriumthe fact we had an empty lot that was just so unappealing,to a feeding tick. An unsuspecting dog can said Obeuf.then be infected while walking through the Now we have this, a classroom that can be used. Itstick infested area. Migrating birds have alsosomething that has purpose, something that looks nicebeen found to be responsible for passing theand its just so wonderful to see it finished.disease to previously unaffected regions.The classroom was created completely through theFactors to consider in determining if yourefforts of White Oaks students.MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVERdog is at risk include walking in parks and To pay for the creation of the outdoor classroom, theforested areas, travel to cottage country orWhite Oaks Awareness and Activism Association appliedCLASS IN SESSION: Project Oasis Co-Project Leaders Thomas Obeuf anddown south.for and received grants from Halton Learning Foundation,Ellie Hannaford at the opening of the outdoor classroom at White OaksTwo important strategies in the prevention Speak Up, the Halton Environmental Awards and theSecondary School.of Lyme Disease are vaccination and tick Metro Green Apple School Program.controlselected for the gardens of the out-such as herself, a sense they are leav-. A yearly vaccination protocol will helpMoney was also raised through a bake sales and astimulate protective antibodies and boosterdoor classroom were chosen because ing something of themselves behind.school coffee house.immunity against the disease.of their ability to resist drought and A lot of kids leave high school andIn total, around $10,000 was invested in creating thesurvive excessive shade.they dont really have something toAt the forefront of prevention is tick control.outdoor classroom, which was put together by students inAs the outdoor classroom is locat-look back on and say, Oh, I did that,It is easy to administer and highly effective. the schools landscaping and construction departments.ed between two buildings its gardens she said.In addition to transmitting Lyme Disease aLandscaping student Dan Campbell said there was nosingonly receive about two hours of direct This allows kids to see they had ale tick can also transmit other disease shortage in obstacles in moving the outdoor classroomcausing agents, such as those responsible sunlight each day.physical, tangible impact on thefrom a vision to a reality and recalls having to take apartfor Canine Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis.Were really proud of the com-school and they actually did leave aand redo the classrooms stone wheelchair ramp multiplebined effort, said Tracy Beck, White legacy.A discussion with your veterinarian about times as the Town of Oakville said it was not up to code. Oaks Awareness and Activism Hannaford said students wouldrisk factors and prevention will determine theLandscaping teacher Conor Morris said the plantsAssociation advisor.benefit from the alternative learningbest strategies to prevent Lyme Disease fromafThat it was one group of students environment provided by the outdoorfecting your family pet.OPEN HOUSE AT GLEN OAKS - JOIN US!who came up with the idea and were classroom.the motivating force to keep it going There are still some small improve-Our doors are open.through, but then a whole other ments that need to be made, Obeuf group of students that were really said.myanimalhospital.cadoing the work and pulling things A bench will be added and aSunday, June 5thtogether. Im really proud of that part-Japanese maple will join a birch tree,10:00am - 4:00pmnership and Im proud of how it has which was donated to the classroomAskey Animal Hospitalturned out.by Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn.24 Hour Emergency CareHannaford said the final comple-White Oaks graffiti artist IainEverything you need for Continuous3525 Fairview Street, Burlington tion of this outdoor classroom is Penner has also signed on to create acemetery and funeral at Personalized Tours:905-634-9088important because it gives students, special mural within the site.oneconvenient location Crematorium GardensJoin us at this Open House MausoleumOrchard Animal Hospital Memorial Chapeland see how Glen Oaks can 2020 Appleby Line, Burlington Reception Centresimplify life.905-634-4526RefreshmentsFor more information, call:Prize DrawSpeers Road Animal Hospital(905) 257-11001026 Speers Road, Oakville 905-844-6786Advertorialwww.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, June 2, 2011 14