The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Creighton Community School was draped in the Canadian flag Wednesday as parents and students gathered to pay tribute to this nation. "Celebrate Canada" was the theme of this year's Festival of Learning, where students turned the school into a homage to the country. "Canadians I think generally are quietly patriotic, so this was a way to celebrate it a little bit more," said vice-principal Robert Bratvold. "It was a really successful event." In the neighbourhood of 300 people attended the festival, which began with a stew supper in the gymnasium and ended with the crowd affirming their Canadian citizenship and singing O Canada. In between, they toured various classrooms throughout the school, each of which had its own celebratory theme. One room was plastered with handmade posters recognizing Canadian sports stars like golfer Mike Weir and hockey player Joe Sakic. In another room, visitors brushed up on their geography skills by taking a Canadian quiz, with students utilizing a table map as they asked the questions. Other themes included transportation, symbols, the newest territory of Nunavut, and hockey, which saw students try their hand at firing a ball past a volunteer netminder. There was also a parade featuring students and parents walking through the hallways with patriotic banners in hand. Each grade contributed to the festival as part of their school work. Younger students did things like make small cotton igloos and collect animal pictures for the Nunavut display. The older students' duties included putting together the Canadian quiz. "The kids were excited about it and they learned a lot about our country," said Bratvold. Each year, Creighton Community School alternates between a Festival of Learning and a science fair. The previous festival in 2002 focused on different countries of the world, and Bratvold said this time around the school wanted children to learn more about their homeland.
