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.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Pop-music parodist 'Weird Al' Yankovic rewrites popular songs for laughs. But some students at Ruth Betts Community School had a more serious goal with their rejigged rendition of a Justin Bieber hit. At Tuesday's school board meeting, the Ruth Betts Tobacco Tackle Team shared the video for their song 'Never Smoke Ever,' a takeoff on Bieber's 'Never Say Never.' 'I will never smoke ever...I will fight it forever,' the students sung, making reference to the blackened lungs and heart attacks that can come from smoking. Praise With most of the participating students at the meeting, trustees were full of praise for the video. 'I think you should be proud of yourselves,' Trustee Karen Yeo told the kids. 'Send it to Justin Bieber and show him how you've improved his song,' joked Trustee Glenn Smith. Shown on a large projection screen in front of the trustees, the video was the main initiative of the Tobacco Tackle Team, which met weekly in 2010-11. Facilitated by school guidance counsellor Sandy Kowal and NRHA tobacco reduction coordinator Deanna Johnson, the group consisted of students from grades 5 and 6. The video will be included on an anti-smoking DVD to be distributed to schools across Manitoba. The students have decided, however, to keep the brief video off of YouTube. Writing and performing the song were Gina Broughton; Mackenzie Deschamps; Duncanson Goodman; Destinee Lehonen; Jayden Laliberty; Madelyn Lies; Mackenzie McIntyre; and Keanna Merton. In addition to the video, the Tobacco Tackle Team made presentations in their school to mark Addictions Awareness Week. They read and presented colouring books to younger students and played an educational 'tobacco bingo' with older students. Highlights Other highlights from Tuesday's school board meeting: Superintendent Blaine Veitch congratulated three Grade 11 students headed to the 2012 Green Mining Workshop at Hamilton's McMaster University. Sandra Kritzer, Beverly Hiebert and Crystal Hiebert wrote winning essays to attend the all-expenses-paid workshop being held May 20-25. They will be joined by Hapnot Collegiate science teacher Robyne Mansell. Veitch announced that the schools will be joined by two science students from the University of Saskatchewan. Jacqueline Spence, a local student, and Mehdi Tajallipuor will work with students on a variety of science-based activities and projects. Assistant Superintendent Dean Grove announced that discussions have taken place with high school phys-ed teachers about including voyageur canoe instruction as part of the normal canoe instruction. It is hoped that once students experience the larger canoes, they will become involved with the Trout Festival canoe races. During his chair's report, Trustee Murray Skeavington reminded parents of the upcoming band concerts and other events that will be taking place at the schools. He said he hopes to see many parents and guardians at the schools 'to support their kids in all these events.' Veitch welcomed student teachers Jason McKay and Mark Wendlandt, who will be completing a six-week student-teaching assignment at Ecole McIsaac School.
