LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Deh Cho students impressed judges at the heritage fair in Tulita earlier this month.

Lucas Tate, E'tonda Arden and Patrick Tate all went to Tulita to show off their heritage fair projects. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

Four students from Bompas Elementary School were chosen as regional winners in the heritage fair competition, earning them a trip to the territorial show in Tulita.

Abigail Pascua-Matte, a Grade 6 student at Bompas, won the minister's award for her project on the history of Bompas Hall.

"I didn't actually think I would win the Deh Cho award," said Pascua-Matte after returning home.

"I was kind of surprised and pretty happy."

The award came with a certificate and a new tablet.

Pascua-Matte said she learned a lot about Bompas Hall and its founder, Bishop Bompas.

"He liked children and the native people," she said.

The NWT Heritage Fairs Society coordinates the event, whose purpose is to encourage young people in the territory to explore and share the histories of their family and community.

A total of 30 projects were chosen to represent the regions of Beaufort Delta, Sahtu, Tlicho, Yellowknife District #1, Deh Cho and Nunavut.

"The heritage fair is an opportunity for students to share and discover the rich heritage we have in the Northwest Territories," stated Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Jackson Lafferty in a news release. "I'm always impressed by the creativity and effort of our students."

Brothers Patrick and Lucas Tate also attended the fair in Tulita.

Lucas did his project on farming and said the event was a chance to meet new people.

"A lot of our relatives are into farming and gardening, and we also play board games about farming," said Tate.

Patrick did his project on St. Patrick's Day because he has family origins in Northern Ireland.

"Also because my name is Patrick," he added with a smile.

He said it was interesting to be in Tulita, which is even smaller than Fort Simpson.

"It only has about four streets," he said.

He and Lucas enjoyed playing basketball during their time off from the fair.

E'tonda Arden did her project on her grandfather, who was a traveller.

"I didn't know that he walked 500 kilometres," she said.

Bompas Principal Kelley Andrews-Klein said the students were well-behaved and were good representatives of the school.

"The kids presented really well and all the judges said it was a tough decision," she said.

"The minister's award is based on a project that shows Northern heritage and (Pascua-Matte's) was the strongest in that area."

She said Tulita was very welcoming.

Besides the contest, students participated in a variety of events, including traditional games.

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