Grade 7 students win computer in national book making contest
Phil Duffy
Northern News Services
Rae Edzo (Apr 30/01) - Eight Grade 7 students from Chief Jimmy Bruneau school in Rae-Edzo are the proud winners of a Pentium III computer for their entry in a book-making contest.
There is even a printer that is part of the first place prize. Considering there were about 200 schools from all over Canada participating in the contest, it is well deserved.
Antonia Dryneck, Cassandra Camsell, Tia Gon, Lorris Wellan, Jenny Erasmus Bryan Laing, Braeden Moore, and Tiffany Sanspariel are the authors and illustrators.
"They were an extremely keen group to work with," said their teacher Janice Fehr.
"I think I was more excited than they were. They were fairly reserved because I don't think they quite yet comprehend what a monumental achievement this is."
The students started learning about the wetlands in September and finished the book, entitled Jack Fish's Wish, in mid-March of last year.
"It took a considerable amount of time because I only have these students for three hours a week," said Fehr. "To say I'm proud of them would be an understatement."
The parameters of the contest were to design a book with illustrations which would explain all about the elevated wetlands in Don Mills, Ont. to Grade 3 students.
The contest was sponsored by the Environmental Plastics Industrial Council (EPIC), who do some pretty spectacular hydroponics work on the wetlands using recycled plastic. "We were not only delighted by the creativity of the books that were entered, we were overwhelmed," said Karen Wolfe of EPIC.
"The kids from Chief Jimmy Bruneau did such an amazing job on their book that the judges decision was unanimous," she added.
The 16-page book tells of the adventures of Jack Fish while he struggles to find some clean water to live in on the wetlands. Along the way he makes friends with other wetland creatures like Alli the alligator and Beaver (you guessed it) the beaver.
Wolfe will be presenting the students with their first-place prize in person May 28. There are even plans under way to see if it will be possible to publish the adventures of Jack Fish and his pals.
Second place was awarded to Valley Central school in Thunder Bay, Ont. and third place went to Immanuel Christian school in Winnipeg, Man.
Both schools received scanners as their prize.
