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Steps spread some “sun” shine at St. Jerome

March 12, 2021   ·   0 Comments

Students and staff at St Jerome Catholic Elementary School were in for a pleasant surprise when they returned to the premises last month after an extended break due to the pandemic.

The stairwell at the school had been given a facelift with the help of motivational stickers made by a local company, Sundance Signs.

Each coloured a different hue, the stairs sported phrases like, “I am building my future,” “Mistakes mean I am learning,” and “My challenges help me grow.”

“The project for St. Jerome School was initiated by their Mental Health and Wellness Committee. I was contacted by the principal, Ms. Luisa Rocca, and they wanted to support students during this difficult time. She wanted something bright, impactful and motivational. The project was a collaboration between Ms. Rocca and myself. She provided the quotes and I did my magic,” said Bia Sherrard, owner of Sundance Signs. “It was quite exciting to bring Ms. Rocca’s vision to reality. These kinds of projects are fun to do because they always bring amazing reactions once completed. It was a surprise reveal for students, teachers and staff when they returned to in-class learning.”

The surprise reveal seems to have had its desired effect.

Gabriel Wehrenberg, a Grade 7 student at St Jerome School, said it makes him smile each time he takes the stairs.

“I read them going back up from the gym. The stickers make me reflect on the past and motivate me to feel and do better,” he said.  

Sherrard has undertaken similar projects at Cardinal Carter Catholic High School and Father Bressani Catholic High School in Woodbridge in the past.

The project gave a boost to her local business as well, which fell on hard times because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID-19 has not been kind to my small business. The real bread and butter of my business is other local small businesses and, as we know, many aren’t surviving the shutdowns. It has been a very challenging year,” admitted Sherrard, who has lived in Aurora since the late 1980s.

Sherrard had to pivot her business to include custom graduation lawn signs, birthday banners, and special occasions signs in order to survive.

“By June of last year, these things were going like hot cakes. Even in times of crisis, it seemed like most people were able to spend a few dollars for a custom lawn sign to bring a smile to their loved ones’ faces and to me that meant keeping busy safely, and being able to keep up with the bills.”

That’s a win-win for the community.

By Kinjal Dagli Shah



         

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