Nathan Eckel says when his school principal gives him an idea he just goes with it.
The Grade 10 student at Holy Rosary High School took up designing over the COVID months as a way to pass the time while schools were shutdown. Fast-forward to the resumption of classes and Eckel is pitching in to design a new school building with eight classes, a practical and applied arts section and a common space for students.
“My favourite thing so far is the new common space that’s going on to the south wing. Just being able to take the designs for it and make it like a 3-D model.”
Eckel is working along with the contractor and giving student input for his next classroom. The School’s Board of Trustees is recognizing his efforts by giving him a $500 Scholarship for when he graduates. Eckel says it feels good as he never expected it.
“I just never expected to be getting a scholarship from the school in all my years. It feels good. I can say,’Oh yeah I helped design this space.’ Just once it’s all built.”
Eckel uses SketchUp to do the modelling and then a 3-D program called Blender to do the rendering.
In awarding the first ever scholarship of this type, Board Chair Paula Scott says that they have had student involvement throughout the design of the new building.
“All along the way we have had student involvement, just with consultations and different things. Getting ideas from the students. So to continue that with this work is great. It just makes all the students feel a part of the process and they buy in to what we are doing.”
School officials are grateful for all the work Eckel has put in. They are hoping the new building might be completed in 2022, and perhaps just in time before the young designer graduates.