Marymound is getting ready to install a new greenhouse space on their Scotia Heights property in Winnipeg, a project that has been in the works for several years and made possible through a Réseau Compassion Network Inspiration Grant. The grant request, made by a former employee of Marymound, René Hince, outlined the need for new, innovative and culturally appropriate spaces for students to learn.
One of the programs that will benefit from the new structure is Marymound School. They welcome approximately 60 students in grades Kindergarten to 12. “We support kids who have previously struggled in a public-school setting,” explains school principal, Rhett Turner. “Our goal is for students to learn how to self-regulate, co-regulate and learn some of the skills that will allow them to be more successful in a public-school setting or for whatever is next for them in their lives.”
Turner emphases that the history and reality for many students means that current educational models aren’t always the best ways to support youth as they learn and grow. “A bit part of the history of our kids is colonialism,” he shares. “Between 75 to 80% of our students are Indigenous, and the intergenerational trauma they are living, especially when it comes to the education system, is real. Their relatives experience of education was not positive, and so far, it hasn’t been for these students, either.”
A creative approach for both students at the school and participants in other programs at Marymound is essential. “We’ve told the students about the greenhouse and there’s some excitement there,” Turner continues. “We encourage our students to tell us what they want and need. One student shared that they used to help their grandma in her garden, and they’d like to experience that again. We’ve got another student who’s interested in hydroponics. There are a lot of ways to learn.”
Turner shares that one of the ways that Marymound School supports their students is exposing them to new and different situations. “It’ll be exciting to see them experience the greenhouse,” he continues. “A lot of kids don’t know what it looks like to grow fresh vegetables, or to go to the grocery store and buy vegetables… We’ve got one student who is a bit of a fast-food junkie, and we’ve been working with him on his diet. He’s coming around and noticing how different his body is feeling. At the school, we’re trying to support kids with their lifestyles, as well.”
The greenhouse selected by a staff committee is shaped like a giant snow globe, Turner says. “We all gravitated to the design because it was pretty cool looking, to be honest,” he shares with a laugh. “But the more we looked at it and thought of it, we saw the parallels. In Indigenous culture, so much revolves around a circle. This is a nod to that, and we’re really hoping that the kids can grow their own medicines. We take the students out to harvest sage, for example, but to have them be actively involved in the production would be a whole other level.”
Inspiration Grants are offered by Réseau Compassion Network every other year as a way to uplift the bold and innovative ideas of front-line staff working for a member organisation. “This greenhouse is going to be used by so many kids, in so many ways,” concludes Turner. “From those who just want to help their grandma to those who might consider working in agriculture or sciences. You never know what might spark a new path for a student, and we’re looking forward to what’s to come.”