In collaboration with a UBC community learning project, Mt Pleasant, Queen Alexandra and a number of other elementary schools around Vancouver were joined by dozens of students from both UBC and the University of Guelph who were home for reading week.

At Mt. Pleasant Elementary, approximately 30 UBC and 10 University of Guelph students volunteered for three days to support hands on learning projects in eight classrooms.  Teachers worked in collaboration with student project leaders to create in depth projects to support the classroom curriculum.

"What is so amazing is the personal connections the UBC students made with our students in the short time they were here," says Susan Stevenson, Mt Pleasant's vice-principal. "The diversity of programs created by these university students is phenomenal."

Stevenson says the programs at her school included digital photography and poetry related to diversity in our community, the creation of Japanese haiku poetry mobiles, the performance of skits about the Gold Rush, the construction of "All about the Water Cycle" terrariums, puppet shows and even digital animation development that culminated in the production of a number of short films about stereotypes using Claymation and stop motion photography.

Below is a short video created during the project by Mt Pleasant Elementary Grade 4 and 5 students: Long Hair Kid: 

In addition this this example, are a number of other fantastic programs titled: The Two Bullies, Nothing Wrong with Being Blonde, Different Dragon and Chinese Stereotyping. There are also a number of fantastic photos of the collaboration. Click here to view the pictures.

Mt Pleasant wasn't the only school benefitting from some terrific volunteers.

Queen Alexandra Elementary had dozens of students roaming the halls during reading week assisting students in a wide range of activities including the building of terrariums, rap/hip-hop poetry readings, cooking a terrific vegetable soup for the whole class to enjoy, puppetry and other fun arts and crafts. Here's an album detailing the fun:

Click on the image below to check out our Flickr album for more photos.