John F. Kennedy High School to Inaugurate W.O.T.P. Art Gallery

For the 2016-2016 school year, students decided to build their own gallery: a space to highlight and expose the complete collection of student works and to celebrate the culmination of the creative efforts over the course of the four years of the program.

Students in this particular program are a group of at-risk youth who struggle with a variety of difficulties including autism, socio-behavioural difficulties and physical and intellectual limitations. The focus on art and creative expression has played a key role in the students’ success. Over the course of the last four years, students have had their work displayed at numerous exhibits including a nine-month stint at Montreal’s Museum of Fine Arts in 2015.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is the Member of Parliament for the Papineau riding, has sent a letter of congratulations for this initiative. “I have long believed that our youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today, and the actions they take now can have a big impact on our communities,” he wrote.

Teachers and program coordinators Stefan Kazamias and Anthony Tonin are very proud of their students.