Students share their knowledge of Canadian Heritage

The students at Assiniboia Park Elementary in Weyburn gathered yesterday afternoon to present their Canadian Heritage research projects. All topics were on the table for this deep dive into our nation's history, from our unique wildlife like the mighty beaver to pivotal moments in medicine such as the discovery of insulin. While some chose to follow their curiosity and explore a subject they'd never considered before, other students shone the spotlight on niche areas of their current interests. Regardless of the nature of each project, one could be sure to learn something new at every booth.

Lexie, a grade 6 student, selected the renowned Canadian soccer player Christine Sinclair as the focus of her research project. Lexie is a footballer herself, first donning her cleats before the age of 3, and said that Sinclair represents the type of athlete that she aspires to become. As a self-proclaimed "super fan", even wearing the number 12 on her own jersey, Lexie could recite Sinclair's athletic achievements by heart.

"She's actually the top goal scorer for both men and women in the world," Lexie shared. "In total, she's scored 190 international goals throughout her career. And as Captain, she led Team Canada to a gold medal and two Olympic bronze."

Another one of the APEs decided to bring more awareness to the Canadian Wildlife Federation and the importance of conserving our populations of unique and wonderful animals. Victoria said that protecting endangered animals is a big interest of hers as a lover of the outdoors, and that the Monarch Butterfly is one endangered species that she admires most.

"I think they look really pretty, and we have a plant at our house that they come to every year and they look really nice all around it," she said.

Victoria also shared some interesting ways that people can get involved with the Canadian Wildlife Federation to support their conservation efforts.

"If you go to their website, you can adopt a stuffy and you'll become a donating member," she explained. "Say you get a puffin; You're donating to that animal to help them get better, and it'll come with a customized scarf, your stuffy, a brochure about the animal, and an adoption certificate." 

No Canadian Heritage Fair would be complete without its fair dose of hockey idols, though. Keaton in grade 5 found himself diving into the accomplishments of none other than NHL star Tim Horton. Keaton described Horton as much more than a lover of coffee, tributing his aggressive "old school" grit to the legend's prowess on the ice. Also a hockey player with aspirations to play in the NHL, Keaton was able to rattle off a summary of Tim Horton's professional career to any passerby.

"He was born January 12th, 1930, and played in the NHL for 24 years as a right-handed defenseman," he listed. "Tim scored a total of 518 points and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977. He was known for being a big defenseman and checking people over the boards... And he started the Tim Horton's franchise."