Queen Charlotte Intermediate School creates wellness room
Officials at a Charlottetown school have transformed a storage room into a space to improve students’ and staff’s mental and physical health.
Queen Charlotte Intermediate School was one of 668 sports and recreation organizations across Canada to receive funding from Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities sport relief fund.
They used it to create a wellness room.
Grade 9 student Lucas MacKenzie said it’s great to have the facility inside the school.
“I think it’s important,” he said, “because some people might find it harder to get to a gym. Now, it’s here and it’s free.”
Juliette Bader, a fellow Grade 9 student, agreed.
“Some people might not be able to afford it or be able to get the transportation (to a gym), so being right here (in the school) is important.”
The room includes three treadmills, two rowing machines, free weights, yoga equipment, resistance bands, mirrors and access to online classes and programs.
It can be expanded as different ideas are brought forward.
“All the people involved with the wellness room believe in being mentally and physically fit and being active everyday here in our school and that’s where … the idea of the room came from,” principal K.J. White explained.
“It’s exciting and it’s really, really great to know that inside our school, there’s an area where kids can go to be safe, healthy – mentally and physically – and be active to keep their lifestyle in check.”
While a committee at the school had the idea for the room, the group figured it could take upwards of $10,000 to make it a reality. Committee members researched for potential funding avenues and discovered the Jumpstart fund.
They applied and received $15,000.
“Queen Charlotte says thank you,” White said. “That was a big partnership from Day 1.”
Allister Smith, who teaches physical education and is the school’s athletic director, said it’s been exciting to watch the transformation of the space from a storage area attached to the gym to its new use.
“From Step 1 of thinking about it to cleaning (the room) out, to getting it ready to now … it’s amazing,” he said.
Smith has witnessed the impact on staff, who used the space to exercise before or after school.
He said it has brought the
school and staff closer together.
The school still has about $5,000 left from the Jumpstart funding, but officials know the equipment will have to be replaced at some point in the future.
“We’ll continue to save that until we need to further upgrade the room,” White said.
The principal smiles when he walks by and sees the room being used.
“It’s been great,” he said. “I think we’ve surpassed our goals.
“From a storage space to where it is now, it has evolved substantially. I’m very, very proud of the committee and all the school … (for getting) involved with it.”