All 46 Grade 7 students set up displays, wrote essays and presented speeches on topics related to Canadian heritage for the Unity Composite High School Heritage Fair June 15. Each student chose his or her own topic. The students were judged on organization, creativity, an interview and historical thinking, with Maycie Gumpinger, Kellen Headrick and Kadence O’Brian coming out the winners.
Maycie’s topic was “Slavery in Canada,” a subject many people are unaware of, while Kellen and Kadence chose ground-breaking hockey players, Mario Lemieux and Hayley Wickenheiser, respectively.
As well as presenting their projects to teacher Kelsey Wintonyk, the students delivered their speeches in front of community volunteer judges, then answered questions and explained some of the details of their displays. They also shared what they had learned and explained their projects to other UCHS students, visitors from Unity Public School and members of the public.
Wintonyk said “The Heritage Fair is a program that provides the opportunity for students to teach their families, teachers, other students and community members about diverse living heritage within Canada.” As well as learning and sharing lesser-known details about their chosen topics, students were asked how or why their topic was significant to Canadian heritage and/or the world at large.
The topics were indeed diverse as already shown by the winning projects on slavery and sports figures. Other topics presented by the students ranged from heritage close to home such as a student’s own family history and “Senlac’s Past & Present” to Yukon artist Ted Harrison to historical events affecting the East Coast such as the Halifax explosion and the sinking of the Titanic. Sports and history were popular choices. Sports entries included not only individual players such as Lemieux, Wickenheiser and Wayne Gretzky but also subjects such as lacrosse, basketball and the origins of the NHL. Other historical themes touched on the Great Depression and the War of 1812 and individuals such as Louis Riel and Grey Owl.
It is safe to say even the volunteer judges Pat Orobko, Crystal Gilbert, Nora Aldred, Tomi Watt, Helena Long and Janice Hepting all left knowing at least a little something new. Kudos to the Grade 7s on their research, sharing of information and colourful displays.
