Canada’s history comes to life at ÉPESCS’s Heritage Fair

Grade 7 student Aurora Jacobi modelled her second place “War Bride’s Story” heritage project after her grandmother’s lived experiences at École Port Elgin Saugeen Central School’s Heritage Fair March 9.

Hub Staff

Projects that marked Canada’s highlights and dark spots were on display at École Port Elgin Saugeen Central School’s (ÉPESCS) Heritage Fair March 9. Informative projects from the Avro Arrow to Alexander Grand Bell’s invention of the telephone; to devastation of Residential Schools and the Halifax Explosion were created by students in Grades 6, 7 and 8 for the inaugural event that will see 18 projects move onto the Regional Heritage Fair held at Grey Roots Museum in Owen Sound April 20.

Thirteen judges inspected the projects and were given a presentation by the students. It was a tie for first place with Ethan Walsh’s project on the 72 Summit Series and Ashley Hilber’s project on the Hudson Bay Company receiving top scores. Dressed in vintage wear, Grade 7 student Aurora Jacobi placed second with her grandmothers “War Bride’s Story” which detailed her grandmother, Janet Clayton’s journey to Canada from Scotland. Third place went to Maddie Mensher’s “Miracle Drug” project on Frederick Banting who discovered insulin.

Grade 7/8 teacher Nicole Hunter said it was nice to see the quality of work that the students produced and even admitted to learning a lot while visiting the stations at the fair.

“It’s rewarding for them to see when you're passionate about something and put a lot of time and effort into it the product usually ends up pretty good,” said Hunter. She went onto say that students who chose projects related to their family history turned out really well and were the most surprising, as it was something “that they were really connected too.”

While listing names of women integral to the women’s rights movement, Grade 8 student Emma Moore said that the reason she chose to do her Heritage Project on Suffragettes was because she found out she was related to one. Moore said Suffragettes were important to Canadian history because they “allowed women to expand their boundaries and help grow and shape the nation.” While Aurora Jacobi said it was important to learn about her family history and that she “wanted to know more.”

Grade 6 student Jack Vangeel donned a moustache to match that of Canadian Astronaut-Commander Chris Hadfield at ÉPESCS’s Heritage Fair, March 9.

Maddie Mensher was full of facts and information about Canadian Frederick Banting and his discovery of insulin, which earned her third place at ÉPESCS’s Heritage Fair.

Grade 8 student Emma Moore’s project talked the Suffragette movement and its influence on Canadian history.

The gymnasium at ÉPESCS was filled with heritage projects created by Grade 7 and 8 students with some Grade 6 students also taking part in the informative day.