Connecting Schools Through Story
In a heartwarming collaboration that brought together the love of reading and creativity, King Traditional Elementary and Abbotsford School of Integrated Arts (ASIA) - Sumas Mountain joined forces to promote literacy-focused goals, spark creativity and foster a passion for books among young students. This initiative showcased the power of collaboration and sparked the imaginations of grade one and secondary students in a remarkable way.
At the beginning of the school year, grade one students at King Traditional were encouraged to explore descriptive language by creating imaginative creature drawings. These drawings, which reflected the language concepts they had been learning, were passed on to ASIA Sumas Mountain students.
The secondary students in the creative writing classes in grades 10 to 12 embraced the challenge of crafting unique and captivating stories inspired by the grade one drawings. They poured their creativity onto the pages, bringing the characters and settings to life through engaging narratives. To further enhance the project, the drawings were shared with the talented students of the visual arts class. These budding artists skillfully illustrated the stories, using watercolour, pen and ink to create colourful illustrations to complement the written stories. In the final stage of the project, the grade 10 to 12 textiles classes at ASIA Sumas Mountain transformed the original grade one drawings into delightful stuffed creatures. These talented students used their expertise in sewing to bring the imaginative creatures from the paper into the three-dimensional world.
"It is a special time when our secondary students can connect with elementary students," said Karen Bennett, Principal of ASIA Sumas Mountain. "Opportunities like this one remind these older students about where they once were. It is also exciting to see the smiles on their faces when they see the joy they have brought to the younger students."
To celebrate the culmination of this collaborative endeavour, the grade one students from King Traditional embarked on a special field trip to ASIA Sumas Mountain at the end of May. There, they were greeted by the secondary students who participated in this project, presented with their stuffed creatures, and read aloud the captivating stories their drawings inspired. The experience was exciting, as the grade one students saw their artwork transform into tangible companions and heard their stories brought to life.
"We are incredibly proud of the collaborative effort between King Traditional and ASIA Sumas Mountain in promoting a love of reading and literacy among our students," said Tyler Horner, Principal of King Traditional. "This project showcases the power of the arts to ignite creativity, imagination and bring literacy to life. Seeing the grade one students' drawings transformed into personalized stuffed creatures and stories was truly magical. Through collaborations like these, we can foster a lifelong passion for learning and inspire our students to explore their limitless potential. We are so thankful for the creativity and hard work of the Abbotsford School of Integrated Arts and their willingness to use their talents to promote a love of literacy for our students. It is our hope that while working together, this powerful experience was just as rewarding for the high school students that made it all happen."
This project served as a reminder that the impact can be truly magical when schools, teachers, and students collaborate with a shared purpose. By nurturing the love of reading and fostering collaboration, King Traditional and ASIA Sumas Mountain have created a lasting legacy of inspiration and imagination that will continue to shape the lives of these young learners for years to come.
MEDIA CONTACT
Kayla Stuckart | Manager, Communications
Ph: (604) 614-5207 | kayla.stuckart@abbyschools.ca
