HUMBOLDT 鈥� Michael Behiel, Humboldt鈥檚 mayor, will be judging a brand new contest at St. Dominic School where each class is attempting to build the best snow fort.
Cynthie Gaetz, a teacher for Grade 6 and 7, said the idea was started by one of her students after a conflict over a snow fort the Grade 7 class made.
鈥淣ormally, forts are a big fight in schools because people knock [them] down, people don鈥檛 let people in, and so quite often they get banned very quickly in schools,鈥� Gaetz said. 鈥淲ith the different domes, and how everyone is so separated this year, my class was able to start a very decent fort.鈥�
Gaetz said the fights came soon after.
鈥淥ne of my students, Christian Yager started talking to the principal, Chad Knaus,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o Christian and Mr. Knaus came up with an idea to start the fort competition.鈥�
Gaetz鈥檚 class took the intuitive on, creating a set of rules and judging criteria.
These rules include staying COVID-19 safe, using nice words, working together, and not stealing snow from another class鈥� zone.
鈥淚f they鈥檙e not following [the rules] they get banned a day or two from the fort, depending on what they鈥檙e doing,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ach fort will get a total score.鈥�
The judging rubric includes the highest walls, size of the fort鈥檚 interior, number of rooms, creativity, stability and strength.
Gaetz said the classes are working on them during recesses and break times, which has been helping cut down on the physical interaction between students while ensuring that they keep having fun.
鈥淎t the beginning of the year we had a lot of kids that were really sad because they have to be so split up with trying to be COVID safe, so there are some that are just in the field normally,鈥� Gaetz said.
鈥淭he playgrounds were always full when that class was allowed on. Now I鈥檓 finding recesses and lunch hours when I鈥檓 going out there鈥� there is no one on the playground, they鈥檙e all out there in the field 鈥� but they鈥檙e in their designated zone.鈥�
Each separate class has their own snow fort and zone, but within that class Gaetz assured that each student is staying safe.
While some students collect the snow and carry it on a sled, others are laying the blocks and building it up.
鈥淚f they鈥檙e building close to each other, then they wear their masks.鈥�
Gaetz said as a result students are having fun and working together. While there are still fights, she said now they鈥檙e able to work through it.
鈥淭he rules help and the competition really helps, but a lot of the feedback is I鈥檓 seeing a lot of joy in them. Recess can be hard enough in winter, especially when you have to be separated, especially when you have a split class. So I鈥檓 finding a lot of joy within the students.鈥�
Judging will take place on Dec. 17.
