Teenagers often get a bad rap. They're rebellious, they have an attitude and can be overall difficult. But when this pent up energy is used for good, it's transformed into idealism and creativity.
Take a group of Hugh McRoberts secondary students, for example. For the past six months, they've devoted their spare hours to installing a public art project without any extra credit.
"It's really important for us to have this," said Petri Daviel in Grade 12. "It'll be great for the grades who come after us, just to have something really cool at our school."
"When I come back to visit, I'll see that I was part of this, and this is the result," added Crystal Lan, also in Grade 12.
The group is working to transform the back of their school into a learning space with sculptures, a classroom table, trees and a garden.
As it currently stands, the area is an empty lot, leaving the students with nowhere to sit or eat their lunch.
They completed the de-moulding of the public art sculptures last Friday, which meant taking them out of their casts to be cleaned and painted.
"Oh, today has been really exciting," said art teacher Nicole Porter. "We were all so thrilled, all of us. The students have been excited and dedicated. We really wanted this to be student owned."
Out in Friday's sunshine, they were busy securing a mould casing to one of the sculptures, while local artist, Jasmine Reimer, peeled back the mould of another.
Groups of teachers and students looked on as she revealed two clay lockers buttressed together to form a bench. With five in total, each bench has a smaller sculpture of an item found in a locker such as a half-eaten sandwich or a backpack.
Steel legs will support each bench, except in the case of one, which will be held up by stacks of sculpted books.
"I like the presence the objects have by themselves without humans around," said Reimer. "We're their owners, but these are going to be out in the park, in the world, on their own. The sculpting process creates a nice dynamic between what's real and what's fake."
The project has been six months in the making after Porter applied for, and received, a grant from the City of Richmond to work with Reimer.
"It's been really interesting to hear [the students'] ideas and concepts regarding public art and sculpture," said Reimer. "And surprising to find they had a very strong interest in doing something that was not only art, but something that was functional."
The students made it clear they wanted to be involved in every step to gain hands-on experience, according to Porter, who added the group is a mix of grades and aren't all in art class.
During the planning stages, they talked to Reimer about art and the importance of public art, walking around the city to see examples of it.
"Public art is good for the community because it makes art accessible," said Crystal. "When it's public art, everybody can enjoy it and interact with it."
The installation dovetails nicely with another project in the works for a larger learning space. Other McRoberts students, some who are involved in working with Reimer, approached teachers about transforming the lot behind the school into something "cooler".
"We thought McRoberts needed a fresh new edition," said Jordan Nguyen in Grade 10. "There's not really a place for us to hang out."
Teachers from all disciplines formed an RE3 committee (reclaim, re-imagine and recreate) and again sought input from the students.
Although still in the design stage, the lot hopes to become a place of learning for all subjects, as well as a social hub. It's set to include a garden for biology class and still life drawings, complete with a long table that can seat a class.
Also planned for the space is a stage for drama and music performances.
"We hope to do more than just create a green space," said Porter, who's on the committee. "The whole thing has been a really significant and powerful experience for the students."
A timeline for the learning space is yet to be determined and involves consultation with the adjoining South Arm Community Centre.
