John Caboto Academy welcomes neighbour Simon Chang

John Caboto Academy (JCA) of the English Montreal School Board is located near Chabanel St. in Montreal. It is mere blocks away from Simon Chang’s showroom, where he has worked for the majority of his illustrious 50-year career as a fashion designer.

This school year, Chang has proudly assumed the role of JCA’s arts consultant. On regular visits, he encourages students with their various projects from sketches to creating pencil cases and to experimenting with different recipes in cooking class. Chang is always received with the warmest of welcome from students and staff alike.

Under the leadership of teachers Alba Cano-Juarez, Khalida Smahi, Jessica Attardo and Martine Brosseau, this budding initiative continues to grow with each of the designer’s visits.

Chang has been impressed with the collaboration he sees in the classroom and how the students so easily help one another. “There’s a friendliness at John Caboto that I really like,” said Chang.

On a visit to the school on March 28, Chang attended Smahi and Brosseau’s Club les petits artisans, where he admired the pencil cases the students were sewing made with fabrics donated by Damar International, a Chabanel-area textile importer. “The students are encouraged to really think about their projects and have their own point of view. Every creation is unique,” he said.

Chang also helped create a delicious smoothie in Cano-Juarez’ class and sat in on a Green Team meeting.

Stay tuned for more collaborations and art inspiration to come!