New Gazebo in Cruickshank Park

Hollywood and Company
By Zack Metcalfe, courtesy of the Wingham Times
Who would have thought students could be so productive outside the classroom? On May, 25, Grade 11 and 12 F.E. Madill constructions students put their education to the test in Cruickshank Park, building their community its very own gazebo. At the urging of the horticultural society, these enthusiastic youth left their classroom based near the community centre, hopped in their very own bus, and toured to the job site, under the leadership of construction teacher Mr. McKague, or “Hollywood”, as his students call him. “You can learn all you want on a blackboard,” says McKague, “but it’s best to get out and apply those theories.” Although the Construction Trades campus is part of F.E. Madill secondary school, the classroom is physically separate. The course counts as two credits for each student, and they’re happy with the experience. “We follow the same safety rules as any construction site,” says McKague. “We all wear hardhats and work boots.” This student crew has all the bells and whistles, not just pencils and notebooks. Hand them the materials for the job and they’ll have at it with power tools in hand. Their goal is to help the community in any way they can, construction-related of course. If anyone is interested in employing the services of this particular classroom, McKague suggests they call the high school at 1-519-357-1800. “We only ask that they give us a donation for our work,” McKague says. This money mostly goes towards mileage of the bus, and thanks to the transportation, they are not limited to working in Wingham. They’re looking for more projects to finish off the year, so if you’re in the market for some help, there are some local students just itching to get out of the classroom.