Food drive challenge builds community understanding at Waterloo school

CTV’s Ashley Bacon shows us how students in Waterloo are using donations to build a new sense of understanding.

A food drive in Waterloo is helping students learn about food insecurity and structural integrity.

École élémentaire L’Harmonie, a CS Viamonde school, held a food drive throughout the month of March, culminating in a special challenge on Wednesday.

To cap off their efforts, students were tasked with building structures out of the donations with guidance from University of Waterloo engineering students.

“They’re obviously raising food for people who don’t have as much food, so that’s something very important to instill into kids as well as science and math. Academics isn’t everything – we also need to know how to be a good person,” first year engineering student Neha Patel said.

“We teach them engineering principles and science principles that they’re better off for, like science and math because that’s usually what people struggle with,” she said.

Building an understanding

Once the donations were gathered, it was up to the students to transform the boxes and cans into something new.

“They will decide which structure they want to build and they’re going to work together,” Principal Marie-Eve Poulin explained. “They’re going to have to communicate so there are a lot of skills that are going to be engaged in that activity.”

One Grade 1 class decided to look to the past for inspiration.

“With our class, we’re building a castle,” student Alexi said.

Wednesday’s challenge came after class discussions throughout the month focused on creating a foundation of understanding and community spirit.

“They had conversations with their teachers about the importance of giving back. It helps them develop different values, empathy and sharing and collaboration,” Poulin said.

“It makes me feel good. We help people with no food,” Alexi said.

This is the first year for the event, but Poulin is hoping to make it an inaugural effort.