Farnham Elementary School has a new project, the Farnham Elementary School Gentlemen’s Society. The project invites the male students of Farnham Elementary to take part in after-school activities with volunteer Nicholas Robert. The goal of the activities is to break down gender roles and to teach important life skills that will encourage students' development in becoming civil and contributing members to their community. 

“It started off due to the pandemic and the lack of extra-curricular activities for the boys at school,” said Robert. 

With a background in policing and having volunteered at the school in the past, Catherine Canzani, principal of Farnham Elementary, knew that Robert was the perfect mentor for her students. 

“I find that throughout the pandemic, we’ve lost some civility: how to be with each other, how to be kind, how to speak to each other in a nice way, how to relate with one another, how to interact, and I knew that Nicholas would bring all of those skills to our boys,” noted Canzani. 

Robert said that the Farnham Elementary School Gentlemen’s Society, also referred to as “boys club,” was originally about exposing participating students to tasks that aren’t typically viewed as being reserved for men, but that it grew to incorporate various life skill activities, like a self-defense course. 

“You hear a lot in society, 'that’s a boy thing, that’s a girl thing,' but for me it’s just a thing. It needs to be done; no matter who does it, you need to do it. To build that confidence and to show these kids that holding a pan, making soup, or flipping burgers, it’s not a gender thing. (…) Like Cathy said before, it’s being civilized. It’s being a part of society and being a contributor to society,” explained Robert. 

This year’s activities involved bringing students on outings to different businesses in Farnham to learn some hands-on skills and to expose them to the different types of jobs that exist out there.

“We went to the local pizzeria (…) and we went to the Point S mechanic garage to learn some hands-on skills. We learnt how to make pizzas, we learned a whole bunch of mechanics, how to change your oil, how to change the tires, check the fluids,” said Robert. 

“Once again, it’s going beyond simple academics. For some many of our boys, it’s really hard to sit in class, be focused, and to be doing their reading, writing, and math. To actually get to do something hands on, with an amazing male role model, is so good for them,” emphasized Canzani. “Not all of them have parents who have the time, or even the resources, to teach them these skills.”

Canzani noted that students particularly look forward to “boys club” and that it makes them excited to go to school. With the project having a significant impact on students, plans are already being drawn up to continue the Farnham Elementary School Gentlemen’s Society for the 2022-2023 school year. 

“I got a plan to sort of make a meals on wheels type of thing where the boys could cook the meals and then we could give them to people that require food,” said Robert. 

“One of my goals for our school is that we give back to society. (…) This would fall right in line with what I want our students doing,” said Canzani. “Being able to help people in their own community, that’s going to be really powerful.”

Any businesses interested in getting involved in the project and giving students the opportunity to explore new skills can reach out to Farnham Elementary School. 

Listen to the full interview below: