December 3, 2024 (Cornwall, ON) – A new room inside Cornwall Collegiate Vocational School (CCVS) is now open for students looking to recharge, reflect and find sanctuary amidst the demands of school life.
‘The Cove’ is a former classroom that has been transformed by the Grade 12 LINK class into a quiet spot with couches, chairs, a television, and dim lighting, welcoming all CCVS students from Grade 7-12.
LINK is a student leadership class comprised of Grade 12 students who work on various projects throughout the school, helping to improve school engagement, wellness, and safety.
The LINK students used the project as a real-world learning (RWL) opportunity and reached out to community partners for monetary donations and supplies. The class discussed ideas such lighting, decor and adding comfortable furniture to make it their own, receiving some funding from the Social Development Council of Cornwall.
“I know there's a lot of people that have struggled in this building with just having somewhere to go, that's not so formal,” says Grade 12 LINK student Jane Kupina. “We wanted a space that makes you feel comfortable, to just be yourself and kind of be quiet and talk to someone else without much pressure.”
LINK teacher Chad Thomson says the class was invited to design a wellness hub to foster inclusivity and understanding around mental health and wellness. A guidance counsellor’s office was also moved into the space to ensure easy access to help and encourage students to seek support without stigma.
“The students have been incredible,” Thomson said. “Just getting everything and learning and reaching out to adults to include what they wanted to do was a big part of it.”
“They primed and painted everything, helped pick out all the furniture to make it a space where it is still functional, where they are comfortable, but they could get some work done,” Thomson explained. “My students have been using their spares and free time going in there.”
A local artist was asked to paint a mural on one of the walls, and a Cornwall filmmaker created a short video to explain why this room is important for the student body.
RWL Learning Partner Linzi Leclerc says the class identified what they needed to do, made a budget, and divided and conquered.
“This project is a really good example of the spirit of real-world learning,” Leclerc says. “Mr. Thomson was very hands off and the kids were in the driver’s seat. It was designed by students, with feedback from other students, to meet the needs of students looking for a space to kind of call their own.”
CCVS Principal Leah Eden explained that the space, which is located near the front of the school and often the first thing that visitors see, used to be referred to as “The Fishbowl” due to the large, uncovered windows that looked into the former classroom.
“The transformation of that room is shocking. The students took it from a space that was cluttered and needed a bit of love, and they were able to figure out how to strategize to get the things they needed and brought it all together to make it for each other,” she says
And there’s already a plan in place for how The Cove will be maintained. Eden explained that each year’s LINK class will take care of The Cove, where it will evolve over time to meet whatever needs come forward.
“I feel really good,” says Kupina. “I'm happy that we could make this for our school in my last year. It's kind of nice to just to have a little sending off, a present to everybody else.”
For more information or inquiries, please contact:
April Scott-Clarke
Manager of Communications
Upper Canada District School Board
[email protected]