Cardinal Carter IB program honours frontline workers

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — The first graduating class of International Baccalaureate (IB) students from Cardinal Cardinal Catholic Secondary School recently got together with a unique idea to help lift morale and spirits of the frontline workers at Erie Shores HealthCare.

The six students wanted to express their gratitude toward the workers at their local hospital. Each student created a piece of art on canvas and those pieces all came together as one piece, depicting frontline workers helping each other during the pandemic.

In cooperation with the local charity, Pockets Full of Sunshine, each student also created 10 envelopes of gratitude filled with sunflower seeds and messages of hope.

The IB program at Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School produced artwork thanking frontline workers at Erie Shores HealthCare. From left are Cardinal Carter Principal Nancy Sarkis, Erie Shores CEO Kristin Kennedy, IB student Catherine Kenneth-Ogah, IB student Laura Kostwinder, IB student Ryan Curran, IB student Michelle Truong, IB student Claire Buxton, IB student Liam Alice, Erie Shores VP of Corporate Services Nolan Goyette and Cardinal Carter Vice Principal Elisa Houston.

SUN photo

The students and their school representatives presented the artwork, the envelopes and an original poem to hospital officials on Friday, June 25.

The poem, entitled O’ Healer, was written by IB student Laura Kostwinder.

“This has been a really challenging year, and this artwork brought tears to my eyes,” said Kristin Kennedy, CEO of Erie Shores HealthCare. “The staff really appreciates this.”

A photo of five health care frontline workers was cut into six equal squares for the students to work from and they each produced a square without knowing what the other five were doing with theirs. The end result sends a powerful, poignant message to front line staff and will be hung

in a prominent location within the hospital.

The presentation by the students concluded their Community, Action and Service Project as part of their IB program at the school.