A total of 121 students in grades 4 to 10 from Hope to Langley, participated in the recent 2018 Fraser Valley Regional Heritage Fair (FVRHF) at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), which was opened by Chris Silver, Sema:th First Nations, Jackie Hogan, President and Vice-Chancellor at UFV, and Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun.
The participating students, first selected from school and community heritage fairs, were at the regional level adjudicated by 60 volunteers on knowledge and Canadian historical significance, inquiry and research methods and bibliography; on presentation and creativity of project display and journal, and their ability to relay project content during a short interview.
Four students were selected to receive a trip to participate in the Provincial Heritage Fair in Squamish, July 4th to 8th: Emily Eberding, Prince Charles Elementary (Abbotsford), for her project My Papa’s Bush Mill; Ojasva Rajput, Dormick Park Elementary (Abbotsford), for his project Sir Frederick Banting Canada’s Medical Science and War Hero; Brett Wood, Noel Booth Elementary (Langley), for Shattered Silence about the Halifax Explosion, and Luna Yin, Dorothy Peacock Elementary (Langley), for Maple Syrup.
Another ten students awarded for projects that excelled in specific categories included: Outstanding People and Events – Amy Straforelli; Family History – Kamryn Betker; Aboriginal Culture – Shayaan Azeem; Art/Literature/Music – Alex DiAntonio; Occupations – Logan Holcik; Symbols and Celebrations – Elizabeth Enns; Community Stories – Brett Wood; Immigration and Multiculturalism – Xavier McFadden; Provincial Stories – Caleb Hoppus, and Canada & the World – Megan O’Shea.
In addition, participating students and guests, cast ballots at the fair, which resulted in the following awards: two Dormick Park Elementary students: Students’ Choice for Best Project – Sia Gulati for her project Emily Carr, and Peoples’ Choice for Best Project – Ojasva Rajput for Sir Frederick Banting Canada’s Medical Science and War Hero; plus the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC Award – Alicia Thai of Lynn Fripps Elementary, for Chinese People Building the CPR, and the Historic Places Award went to Cody Hoyt of Dorothy Peacock Elementary.
Kris Foulds, curator of historical collections at The Reach, and FVRHF coordinator, says: “We were so pleased with the increased participation this year, since this heritage-based program supports the current PLOs of the BC curriculum in social studies for grades 4 to 10. Students engage in hands-on learning and develop research and communication skills, and they get to choose a topic on some aspect of Canadian history and present their findings to other students, adults and the public. A Fairs project can help students find their place in Canadian history, and instead of simply teaching history, the Heritage Fair program endeavors to create historians.”
As part of its heritage mandate, The Reach coordinates the Fraser Valley Regional Heritage Fair with the generous funding support of: Abbotsford School District #34, the Rotary Club of Abbotsford-Sumas, BC Heritage Fairs Society, Abbotsford Community Foundation, MLA Abbotsford West Mike de Jong, the DeLair Family, Fraser Valley Regional Library, MLA Abbotsford-Mission Simon Gibson, Mennonite Historical Society of BC, the Stó:lō Research & Resource Management Centre – Stó:lō Nation, The Teachers’ Learning Store and Chuck & Christine Wiebe, and with ongoing support from the City of Abbotsford.
Media contact for Fraser Valley Regional Heritage Fair:
Kris Foulds, Curator of Historical Collections, The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford
T: 604-864-8087 ext 122