ESL students building virtual-reality business
Principal Kyle Berard saw the virtual-reality tour of Leamington District Secondary School and knew immediately he wanted a copy.
Searching out the producers only required a short walk down the hall, since Grade 12 students Taha Lababidi and Omar Al-zouabi put together the slick presentation.
Friends who bonded over a common background as refugees from Syria, Lababidi and Al-zouabi formed their digital startup last summer.
Together they established TO 3D Virtual Tours and started pitching what they could offer to area businesses and clients around town.
They actually got commitments for work before they had all the necessary software and supports in place.
Since then, they’ve produced between eight to 10 virtual tours for clients and Berard said there’s interest at the Greater Essex County District School Board for the duo to record virtual tours of other schools.
Lababidi and Al-zouabi said they were inspired to action after attending a Youth Action Gathering in Toronto in June 2018.
Organized by the Canadian Council for Refugees, YAGS bring together immigrant and refugee youths from across Canada to share, learn, support and strategize about overcoming common challenges.
Students within the GECDSB’S English as a second language (ESL) program are offered the opportunity to attend a YAG meeting.
“We met people who were suffering much more than us, but they were also doing much more than us,” Lababidi said.
So they took a mutual love of technology and developed a business plan.
“Our interest was real estate and businesses and big complexes like the Sherk,” Al-zouabi said.
As it turns out, a hot residential market in real estate meant agents didn’t need to spend time or money on virtual tours of properties for sale so the students have turned their attention elsewhere for now.
The hook on their business card cleverly reads “Never Miss An Angle.”
Their presentation at a GECDSB meeting recently drew rave reviews.
“I actually tweeted out that they were simply outstanding young adults demonstrating that diversity really is the strength of our system,” said Clara Howitt, superintendent of education, program and professional learning. “When we say diversity is our strength, they are the perfect example of what that means in the system.”
Berard said the number of students (now more than 80) enrolled in ESL at Leamington District has quadrupled in recent years. He credited his staff with learning and understanding the newcomer experience in their efforts to offer support.
“I think there’s a real emphasis there on making newcomers feel welcome and creating supports for them to thrive not just survive,” Howitt said.
Anyone interested in learning more about their VR tour business can email taha.2000.pro@gmail.com.