We need your help! We are working with an awesome school in Ottawa, Robert E. Wilson (REW) Public School, on an amazing outdoor mural. The theme of the mural, as selected by the students, is: “Robert E. Wilson PS – A Place We All Call Home”. REW was selected for a grant, however, we did not receive the total amount of funding we requested. We are now reaching out to community leaders and World-Changing Kids supporters to help us raise the funds for the remaining expenses.
We received a grant in the amount of $7,500, which will cover the expenses for the creation of the mural. We are looking for an additional $2,600 to make the student and community engagement pieces of this project even better!
With additional funding, this is what we will be able to achieve:
(1) Student Engagement: We will bring in an Expressive Arts Facilitator to work with EVERY student at REW to create a piece of art that represents their interpretation of the theme – we want each student to be able to provide their input, in the form of artwork, about what the mural themes of safety, inclusion, love, welcome, freedom, respect, family, support, and community mean to them. We want each student to know that they have a voice and that what they have to say is important. The artwork created will then be used throughout the school to supplement the messages of the mural.
(2) Community Engagement and Leadership Development Opportunities: We will provide many opportunities for students, parents and members of the community to comment on the theme, provide their input, and voice their support for the project. We will hold a student-led community info session at REW, as well as engage the broader community through social media, print media and television.
(3) Partnerships with Other Youth in the Community: When the design is complete and the mural is ready to be painted, we will involve youth from the Wabano Centre and the Ottawa Technical Secondary School (OTSS). The youth will learn the proper techniques for mural painting. They will learn about working with and teaching younger students. They will also get to strengthen their leadership, initiative, and communication skills.
(4) Mural Unveiling Celebration: We will organize this in the fall for students, parents, friends, businesses, local leaders and politicians. We will invite an Inuit Elder and an Algonquin Elder to perform an opening and closing prayer. This will provide an amazing learning opportunity for all the students involved in the project, as well as all the community members.
We would be happy to work with as many partners as possible, at whatever amount you are able to contribute. We have broken down the items into amounts as small as $92 and would be happy to send you these details.
Our efforts can only reach their maximum effectiveness if we have the backing of community leaders and friends like you!
In appreciation of your anticipated contribution, we would love to brainstorm with you to come up with some creative and inspired ways to acknowledge our partnership for social good. We have many ideas, which include but are not limited to a video posted on all of our World-Changing Kids social media pages, a printed poster of the mural for you to hang at your offices, an opportunity to say a few words at the student-led community info session and at the Mural Unveiling Celebration.
Please email Lindsey at worldchangingkids@gmail.com if you would like to talk about this in more detail!
And check out these beautiful drawings some of the students did at REW. These drawings were then given to the mural artist to help her create the final mural design.
