The Media

Read up a bit on a few of the articles that local newspapers have published about the Villanova Living Lab!

A look inside Villanova's "Living Lab"

Playground News and Campus Views by Sara Capaldi. The River Town Times. 1 December 2001, page 10.

LASALLE- Chameleons, pythons, and Australian bearded dragons... in a high school classroom? Well, one of St. Thomas of Villanova's science classrooms has been creatively transformed into a "living lab".

For over three years, Chemistry teacher George Cuckovic, along with volunteering students and teachers, has been the creator and caretaker of the "living lab", located in one of the Villanova science labs.

The idea to create the unique "living lab" came from Cuckovic himself, and the help of a good friend of his. The "living lab" consists of a wide variety of reptiles and amphibians. From enormous pythons to brightly coloured chameleons, the "living lab" is a little world in itself.

"The living lab started out as just a hobby that my friends and I enjoyed working with," said Cuckovic.

From that hobby came a new aspect of science for students and teachers at Villanova to interact with.

One reason why the "living lab" was brought into Villanova was to introduce a kind of science into the school that no other school has. "It was a great way to introduce herpetology to the students and it was a unique idea since there are not any other high schools that have such a developed living lab like we do," said Cuckovic.

Herpetology is the branch of zoology dealing with reptiles and amphibians.

Thanks to the "living lab", students are able to learn about herpetology. Teachers are now able to include the "living lab" as a solid example for students to get a thorough understanding different aspects in science.

The reptiles and amphibians are fed leftover vegetables from the Villanova foods and hospitality class, therefore no food is wasted.

Over 500 crickets per week are bought from Essex Feed Warehouse and fed to the animals.

OAC students take part in mice and rat breeding programs where they get hands-on learning experience. After the breeding programs are completed, the mice and rats are humanely euthanized and then fed to the snakes.

The "living lab" is not only beneficial to science students at Villanova, but it is an interesting sight to see for other students and anyone passing through the halls of Villanova.

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Living Lab creator snags provincial award

By Donald Chang, LaSalle Post Staff. The LaSalle Post. 5 July 2000, page 13.

LASALLE- At this time last year, George Cuckovic was awaiting approval to build something in his classroom that has never been seen in this area before.

The teacher at St. Thomas of Villanova Secondary School had a vision of glass cages with natural habitats for exotic species of amphibians, reptiles and arachnids.

It's called the Living Lab.

Now that vision has netted him recognition by the Ontario Teacher's Federation and TV Ontario (TVO).

Cuckovic was nominated for the award by fellow staff member Al Timmins&endash; one of 96 teachers nominated across the province&endash; and was selected as one of 12 finalists.

While he didn't win the actual award, Cuckovic did receive and award of merit for his innovative teaching methods in the classroom.

"I was shocked that I was nominated," said Cuckovic, sitting in the classroom.

Shocked but pleasantly surprised at being recognized by his peers.

Cuckovic attended the awards banquet in Toronto and found that many of the other finalists had projects being recognized that they had been working on for a longer time.

"Some of these teachers had been working for six of seven years on projects. Whey they found out that this one was just over a year old they looked shocked."

Cuckovic came to Villanova via St. Anne's in Tecumseh.

"I didn't want o make the transfer at first," he said. "But now, I'm glad I did," he added, motioning toward the banks of aquariums behind him.

The aquariums house full rainforest habitats with water recycled and approximate lighting reproducing the heat and humidity of the natural habitat of each resident.

It is also a project that may expand to other schools.

Two friends, Rick Truant and Shawn McNichols, helped to set up the Living Lab and may be doing similar set ups at other grade schools on a smaller scale.

The lab has made a difference in the school as Cuckovic said it has allowed a hands-on approach that no other school offers.

And he is still working toward making it perhaps the most innovative and complete science department/lab in the province, if not in the country.

Next year, plans are in the works to put in a parasitology lab that will have a website link to the universities of Windsor and Guelph.

The school may be doing research for both universities starting the next school year.

Results of the tests would be posted on the Villanova website and linked to the universities for instant results.

Cuckovic added that several veterinarians are interested in the information that will be offered as well.

"There isn't a lot of information out there about reptile parasites. We can provide that information and a number of parties are interested in the results."

The Living Lab is something that has brought all aspects of the school together, Cuckovic said.

"We have this room packed every lunch with kids. We have geography students coming up here to study habitats, art students doing murals, computer science students designing websites. I had no idea it would have this kind of impact when we started this."

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The Living Lab

Reptiles a hit with Villanova High School Students

By Christina Friedrichsen, LaSalle Post Editor. The LaSalle Post. 24 November 1999, page 5.

LASALLE- As Michelle Levasseur sat writing her thermodynamics exam, her small, scaly, laid-back reptile friend waited patiently beside her.

Levasseur, like many students at Villanova High School, have grown especially fond of the Australian Bearded Dragon, not to mention the 32 other reptiles that live within the school.

The reptiles are part of what is called the Living Lab, a new project created by chemistry teacher George Cuckovic.

Cuckovic, with the assistance of a couple of knowledgeable friends, Rick Truant and Shawn McNichols, built a series of habitariums in his classroom. Each contains one or more reptiles.

"We set up little paradises for them," he said.

The project, which took several months to get off the ground, not to mention an investment of $10,000, provides students with hands on experience.

Cuckovic said the Living Lab is the first of its kind in Ontario, and possibly Canada.

Among the reptiles are pythons, a Mexican Milk Snake, a Chinese Water Dragon, a Caimen, tarantulas, and Basilisk lizards a.k.a. the Jesus Lizard, for its ability to walk on water.

"There's nothing venomous," said Cuckovic.

Since it opened just weeks ago, the Living Lab has been a huge hit with the students.

Not only do they enjoy visiting the animals, they are responsible for feeding the animals and taking care of them.

Some of the teenagers have formed such a strong bond with the reptiles, that they take their favourites from class to class.

Others, like Levasseur enjoy having the reptiles at their side during exam time.

"It calms them right down," said Cuckovic.

OAC student Josh Fantin spends much of his spare time in the Living Lab. "I think it's pretty neat," he said. "I like the snakes the best."

Cuckovic explained that some of the students were initially frightened of the snakes and spiders.

"All of a sudden they were holding on to them, and telling other students not to be afraid," he said.

Cuckovic is pleased with the positive response so far, and predicts that the lab will involve many of the departments at the school.

He said that the attendance problem in his class is "null and void" because of the lab.

Cost to maintain the reptiles is minimal, said Cuckovic. The mealworms, rodents, and insects that are used to feed the creatures will be bred at the school, he explained. "It's pretty much self-sufficient," he said.

For the reptiles that are vegetarians, scraps from the school cafeteria are used.

In the future, some of the reptiles will be bred and students will have the opportunity to purchase the offspring.

Cuckovic and the two men that helped him with the project have formed a company called Green Earth Education.

With the company, they hope to introduce the Living Lab to other schools. So far, Brennan High School has shown some interest in the project.

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