Strathmore & Area Adult Inclusive Learning (SAIL) had some surprise guests at their recent class.
A group of filmmakers from the Netherlands were visiting Crowther Memorial Junior High School as they were gathering footage for an upcoming documentary series based on immigration.
"There are a lot of Dutch people who went abroad to a far better life in another country or continent," said director Paul Ruigrok. "We are making a series about those people who went out of the country between 1890 and 1930, about a hundred years ago."
The series will follow the descendants of these families and how their lives have gone after a century of being settled in Canada. According to Ruigrok, there are several farming families in Strathmore whose ancestors were Dutch immigrants.
"We spoke to a lot of them, and they have big farms here," added Ruigrok. "Most of those people from Holland came with nothing and had no idea where they were going."
However, the series isn't just about immigrants from the Netherlands. It's also about immigration on a global scale.
The filmmakers recorded the latest SAIL class, where immigrants from all over the world learn the basics of the English language. Ruigrok also had a chance to speak with students at Crowther who were immigrants themselves.
After filming in Canada, Ruigrok and his crew will head down to Argentina, as many Dutch immigrants also moved to South America.
Other members of the crew said that they've enjoyed their time in Canada.
"All of the people are so friendly. The hospitality is so great," said cameraman Mark Glastra Van Loon.
The film will be broadcast on Dutch public television with an expected release date in 2025.