In April, prior to Ontario schools returning to online learning, two Rockway Mennonite Collegiate families set out to make the learning spaces in the school safer for students. They introduced “Austin,” a HEPA-air-filtration system that improves air circulation and quality in indoor spaces.
They initiated a fundraiser to supply enough “Austin” units for the school, which met its goal of 12 “Austins” in August.
Rockway’s student council also initiated a project to promote a healthy community by joining in Belong Together: Waterloo Region’s Tile Project. Each student and staff member got a tile piece to decorate. The student council plans to display the finished tiles, that fit together like puzzle pieces, at Rockway this fall, before sharing them with Belong Together for its larger display, including tiles from around the region.
Belong Together started this project as a way to respond to lost connections and fragmented communities during the pandemic. The goal is to remind people that “even apart we are still an integral piece of the puzzle.”
Do you have a story idea about Mennonites in Eastern Canada? Send it to Janet Bauman at ec@canadianmennonite.org.
‘Austin’ stands ready to filter the air in a classroom at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Kitchener, Ont., and keep it circulating. Rockway supporters donated enough funds to purchase all the ‘Austins’ the school needs for September. (Rockway Mennonite Collegiate photo)
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