OLYMPIC TORCH CEREMONY
Whole School Multidisciplinary Project
Spruce Glen Public School, Huntsville, Ontario
January 25 - February 11, 2010
Project Coordinator: Jamie-Lee New
Over a span of 3 weeks, all Spruce Glen students from JK to grade 8 received in-class multidisciplinary arts workshops based around the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Artists involved were Krysia Bower, Tara Gilchrist, Guy Doucette, Stevie Jay, Marla Brennan, Jenny Kirkpatrick, Peter Jarvis, Beverlie Robertson, Beverley Hawksley, Sue Kirwin-Campbell, Elise Muller, and Catherine Cole. These talented artists provided workshops in drum making and rhythms, print making, sculptures in clay, wood and stone, photography and computer art, song writing, music, movement, improvisation, theatre arts, 3D visual arts, and juggling. The workshops culminated on February 11th, 2010 with their version of the Olympic Torch Opening Ceremonies.
The Junior and Senior Kindergarten students, and teachers Greg Tripp and Ryan Rumsey, explored mime and movement with Guy Doucette, and made drums with Peter Jarvis.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Grade 1 students and teacher Mary Spring worked with potter Tara Gilchrist, who showed them how to make Olympic medallions in clay.
 |
 |
 |
Grade 2 students and teacher Nancy Gibson worked with Sue Kirwin-Campbell on choreography and dance.
 |
Kristen Higgs and her Grade 2/3 students worked with Krysia Bower, learning the art of woodblock printing and wood sculpture.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Tiffany Pinckard's Grade 3 class worked with Peter Jarvis on drum making, drumming and creative movement.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Grade 4 students, along with teachers Catherine Montgomery and Tracy Marshall, made Olympic medallions for the entire school. They were led by artist Beverley Hawksley.
 |
 |
Below is the poem they wrote and read to the school before they handed out the medallions:
Our Special Medallions
Medallions, created with the Olympics in mind,
And for the celebration we join together for today.
They symbolize friendship, teamwork and community,
Made from our heart and souls.
We give them to you,
A gift, a reward.
Hoping to make you feel joyful, touched,
And a part our school community.
With kindness we give them to you.
Student to student,
Friend to friend.
Wendy Stephen and her Grade 5 students worked with photographer Jenny Kirkpatrick to create digital Olympic-themed photomontages.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Photos by Joey and Shalynn
 |
 |
Photos by Khylie and Mia
Wendy Millar and her Grade 5/6 students worked with Catherine Cole on "Believe," a dramatic performance.
 |
 |
Folksinger Beverlie Robertson taught songwriting and performance to Amanda Veitch's Grade 6/7 students.
 |
 |
Marla Brennan showed Shaun Kruger and his Grade 7/8 students how to juggle!
 |
 |
 |
Grade 7/8 students and teacher Debbie Holtby worked on drama and improvisation with actor Stevie Jay.
 |
 |
 |
Shannon Robb's coaching class worked with stone carver Elise Muller to create soapstones medallions and candle holders.
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Olympic Torch Ceremony on February 11th gave the students a chance to share their accomplishments with the rest of the school.
 |
 |
Peter Jarvis' famous cube show; Grade 1's show off their clay medallions
 |
 |
Kindergartens' Olympic themed movement series; symbolic torch lighting
 |
 |
Grade 6/7's perform their song with Beverlie; Grade 4's distribute their hand-made medallions