Kincardine Township-Tiverton Public School - Who Is NOBODY? Project

About 100 students have taken part in the “Who is Nobody?” project at Kincardine Township-Tiverton Public School this year.

Sponsored by the Rotary Club, the program encourages students to take “Nobody” with them and learn something about the environment and caring about others, and then report back to their classes. Katherine McFadden spearheaded the project at KTTPS and this is the second year the school has been involved.

“Our class project this year was tidying up the coat racks for other classes,” said McFadden. “Then, we encouraged everyone to keep them tidy for safety and hygienic reasons.

Five classes at KTTPS took part in the program, using the blue “Nobody” doll as a base to which souvenirs and representative objects were added to turn him into “Somebody.”

McFadden said there is also a green doll that represents the environment, and a new “anti-bullying” doll which is pink.

Four of her students took some time to explain their experience with “Nobody,” to the Kincardine Times.

Jack Tyrrell, Grade 1, and “Nobody” helped the environment by planting strawberry bushes and raspberry bushes outside around Jack’s family’s house.

“Planting plants helps the environment because they produce oxygen which we need to live,” said Jack. “And we learned that animals need plants too, so we should plant more to help them.”

He brought a lupin plant for the school’s community garden, and pinned a seed package to “Nobody.”

Lucas Bronkhorst, Grade 1, helped by sending teddy bears and toys to orphans in South Africa.

It's important to help people who don't have moms and dads and toys— Lucas Bronkhorst, Grade 1

“It’s important to help people who don’t have moms and dads and toys,” he said.

He added a hat to “Nobody,” representing South Africa where it’s hot.

Alex MacArthur, Grade 1, helped by picking up garbage and ended up filling two garbage bags by cleaning up around the edge of the Armow landfill site.

He learned it’s important to keep the environment clean. He pinned a piece of paper garbage (which had been wiped clean) to “Nobody.”

Quinton Osborn, Grade 2, took “Nobody” to his birthday party where he asked guests to bring canned goods instead of gifts.

He then took four grocery bags full of donations to the Kincardine Food Bank and learned that it’s important to help people who are hungry. He pinned a plastic soup can to “Nobody.”

For more information about the program, log on to www.whoisnobody.com

This article was published in the Saugeen Times on June 26th 2011