First year U of M Education student Tyler Ross has become a regular at Rossbrook. He’s part volunteer, part placement student with a summer course called Beyond Classroom. Tyler has spent several months in 2017-18 helping out in the Learning Always after-school program at Rossbrook House.
He assists the staff, helping the kids with their tasks. His friendly nature has made him very popular with the participants.
Tyler Ross with some Learning Always participants at the end of program dinner.
Part of Tyler’s program is to provide a reciprocity project, to contribute to the space. He mentioned that some of his peers have provided a bike rack, a bucket of toys, or pamphlets to the non-profit agencies they’ve been assigned to.
Because Tyler has a degree in Fine Arts (sculpture and painting) he and Sheila, the Learning Always Coordinator, came up with the idea of painting one wall in the gym at Rossbrook House. That idea turned into creating a mural over three walls.
Tyler Ross painting the gym walls with the help of some participants.
The mural has an Indigenous theme, paying tribute to the heritage of many of the current and former participants and staff. It honours Turtle Island and the Seven Teachings, the North and the Prairies and one wall features the constellations.
“The hope is that it will be inspirational to young and old”, Tyler said.
It’s rich with, not only brilliant color but also, history and respect.
