Students build outdoor classroom after unforgettable partnership between teens and kindergarteners

The project taught real-world skills

A unique project between Thousand Islands Secondary School and Lyn Public School is turning heads across the Upper Canada District School Board.

On May 13, TISS construction students installed a new outdoor classroom, stage, mud kitchen, and custom-built wooden school bus—all designed by Lyn PS kindergarteners.

The project was led by TISS teacher Kevin Dowling and kindergarten educators Mariah Gallacher and Amie Roy. It paired secondary trades students with young learners to bring the children’s ideas to life. The kindergarteners drew blueprints of features like a play bus and a gazebo stage. Older students turned those plans into real structures.

The project taught real-world skills like design, teamwork, sustainability, and problem-solving. Grade 10 student Seth Adolph even built a strong friendship with one of the kindergarteners.

UCDSB Learning Partner Jacqueline Hoogwerf praised the project as a model for Real-World Learning. Other schools are now exploring how to do the same.

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