As anticipation grows for Dal's new medical campus in Sydney, N.S., staff have turned to local elementary school children to add charm and colour to the facilities.
Alyssa MacDonald, student and resident affairs advisor for the Cape Breton Medical Campus, coordinated a partnership with a nearby elementary school where students crafted artwork to make the new medical sciences building feel inviting once it opens later this year.
鈥淚 thought it would be a nice way to engage the community and let them know about the medical campus. We also get to see kids have those 'I can become a doctor here' moments,鈥� says MacDonald.
We get to see kids have those 鈥淚 can become a doctor here鈥� moments,鈥� says MacDonald.
The partnership fit nicely into the Art Literacy Program, which encourages students to explore their interests and expand their learning through art classes in school. Following a successful pilot with Greenfield Elementary in New Waterford, MacDonald hopes to connect with more schools throughout the region in the fall.听
MacDonald is well-suited for the role, bringing more than a decade of experience in student advising, quality assurance, and as a sessional instructor within the Cape Breton University's Bachelor of Education program.
鈥淏ecause of my background with the education system, I鈥檓 always trying to find ways to connect our post-secondary programs where we can 鈥� especially in the lower grades,鈥� said MacDonald.
Ms. Carly Brown, the Art Literacy Program teacher, had cutout sheets for primary and Grade 1 students to colour and step-by-step instructions for students in Grades 2 and 3.
The students' artwork is hanging in the temporary Cape Breton Medical Campus space and will be moved into the new building when it opens later this year.听
Having grown up in New Waterford, MacDonald said she鈥檚 excited to be part of the medical campus from the ground up.
鈥淚 really think this is going to transform our local communities 鈥� between the new medical campus, the , a , and 听鈥� I just feel like this is another piece of the puzzle improving local access to health care and education,鈥� she says.
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