A Wallaceburg school is getting recognized on a national platform for its use of technology in the classroom and its literacy program.
Holy Family Catholic School has been selected as one of three finalists in all of Canada in the Schools of The Future Innovation Challenge.
The annual challenge is put on by MindShare Learning.
According to Grade 7/8 teacher Daniel Rolo, the challenge this year was around the United Nations sustainable development goal and how teachers are using technology to teach students about those goals and other innovative ways that teachers are using technology in the classroom.
Rolo said there were several different programs implemented at the school this year that he decided to submit for the challenge.
"One of the programs that we had implemented this year at Holy Family involved teaching students how to create 3D spaces using a program called Twinmotion," he explained. "It's an architectural program...Within the context of the program, students had to learn about the sustainable development goals and design a sustainable city park using Twinmotion that was interactive, someone could walk through the park in 3D."
Rolo added that students also participated in scholastic e-sports programming as well as learned about animation and game design in order to create their own interactive 3D science museum using game design software.
As a result of winning the challenge, Holy Family will receive a package of resources, which includes technology and furniture to enhance its programming and collaborative learning space.
The winning announcement was made in a surprise virtual visit last week over Zoom, with MindShare President and Founder Robert Martellaci, who confirmed Holy Family’s submission had been selected for this prestigious prize.
"[The students] were elated," said Rolo. "It kind of validates some of the work they've been doing all year and it's gotten them excited to continue this work next year...I was super excited. It's amazing to place third in all of Canada, for one, but it's also validation for some of the things we've been doing here at Holy Family in the classroom with the use of technology. It was awesome."
Holy Family was also recently selected as the 2022 recipient of the Indigo Love of Reading Award.
The grant that accompanies the award will provide a total of $40,000, which will be distributed from the foundation over the next three years.
The money will be used to build up classroom libraries, the school library and collaborative learning space as well as to purchase curriculum-related books to enhance literacy programming for all students.
“I would like to thank Mr. Dan Rolo, who has taken the lead on this initiative over the past three years,” said Holy Family Catholic School Principal Mark Bernard. “Thanks also to our amazing staff, for the work they have done to instill in our students the love of reading.”
In order to qualify as a candidate for the Love of Reading Award, schools must demonstrate a strong commitment to literacy programming.
Holy Family Catholic School (via SCCDSB website)