GUELPH – A Grade 11 construction class at St. James Catholic High School has completed a wheelchair ramp for a community member giving her the freedom to enter and exit her home following a health turn.
Stephanie Zonneveld, ABA/ASD system resource teacher and ASSDP project lead with the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) brought the project to the attention of administrators at St. James, having worked with the community member and Wellington Catholic family member, Yvonne, for a number of years.
A parent of two girls at St James CHS, Yvonne was the former president of the local Autism chapter and has supported a number of families in the community, having helped develop community programs, connecting with theatres to run sensory sensitive film nights and assisting at St. John Catholic School in Guelph with breakfast and snack school programs – committing her time well after her daughters had left the school.
Last September, ongoing health problems led Yvonne to amputate her leg deeming her unable to freely enter and exit her home by wheelchair in the home’s current state.
“She’s not someone who is used to asking for help, she is someone who is used to giving the help … so that has been hard,” shared Zonneveld.
Following Yvonne’s news, knowing the continued support she has provided to the community – Zonneveld wanted the community to now provide help for Yvonne.
Enter the St. James CHS Grade 11 construction class and WCDSB experiential learning team.
Principal Sandra Cummings gave her stamp of approval for construction teacher Gerald Della Savia to take on the project. Supported by both Nicholas Brown, program coordinator of experiential learning, and experiential lead Ryan Lawrenson, the project has become an all-encompassing WCDSB project.
“The project has been great for the students and they really truly do love doing it. They are here every day – all of them, it’s great for the students,” shared Della Savia.
“Doing this to help them out gives me the motivation to want to do this and to get it done as quick as possible,” added Ben Matusinex, Grade 11 construction student.
The class worked diligently in their first period construction class, building the ramp from engineering plans by Justin Kelly and Brad Stroyan of the firm Tacoma Engineers.
Beginning with laying out the ramp, students dug footings, built concrete forms prior to concrete being delivered, framed the posts, and completed the finishings.
“From start to finish the class has done everything on the project,” said Della Savia.
Now complete, the wheelchair ramp has allowed Yvonne to move freely in and out of her home.
After a lifetime of supporting the Wellington Catholic community, all members of the build were happy to provide her with a small token of their appreciation, board officials state.
