Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 23/02) - Dozens of city kids spent part of their summer learning about space, science, safety, and creating sideshows on computer.

Amanda Noble, technology camp instructor, assists Kelly Butterfield, 7, with the addresses of some of her favourite web sites. Butterfield wanted to use them at home after the camp ended. - Chris Puglia/NNSL photo

The technology camp, which is an initiative of the Smart Communities Program, drew about 90 kids over a six-week period.

This is the second year Yellowknife had been a partner in the program and the first year the computer camp was integrated into the summer playground program.

In conjunction with Yellowknife Catholic Schools, the camp was held in the technology centre at Weledeh Catholic school.

"It was started to promote continued learning over the summer," said Amanda Noble, Catholic school co-ordinator for the camp.

The activities differed in complexity depending on the age groups, which were split into ages five to six, seven to eight, and nine to 12.

Alecia Callahan, program co-ordinator with the city, said they were very receptive to the idea of partnering with Yellowknife Catholic schools.

"The (Catholic) school district approached us and they had a great idea and we were then interested to add to our playground program," Callahan said.

Although the camp combined quizzes and learning exercises, it was a hit with the children.

That comes as no surprise since commonly used Web sites were www.disney.go.com and www.harrypotter.warnerbros.com.

"It's fun that you get to play games," said Bradly Cochrane who had been coming to the camp for four weeks.

The highlight of the Smart Communities partnership is a new web site for Yellowknife and the North that will be officially launched Sept. 28. The address of the new site is www.looknorth.ca

The site provides links to information on education, business, culture, among other things.

Smart Communities is a three-year federal program created to assist Canada in becoming a world leader in the development and use of information and communication technologies.