Free speech
Winners of the Burnaby school district’s Grade 7 public speaking challenge got to reprise their winning speeches for the board of education this week.
Brentwood Park Elementary’s Zuzanna Liniewski, Chaffey Burke Elementary’s Tasfiyah Kabir and Stoney Creek Elementary’s Liam Taylor – who placed first, second and third in the contest respectively – presented their speeches at a public board meeting Tuesday.
Every year since 1983, hundreds of Grade 7 students from the district have vied for top honours in a competition designed to develop confidence and excellence in public speaking.
The top two speakers from each of the district’s four zone qualify for the district finals.
This year’s theme was “Think Differently,” and the finals were held March 4 at Byrne Creek Secondary.
Future Mounties
Nine Burnaby Grade 11 and 12 students got a head start on possible policing careers this month, graduating from the Lower Mainland RCMP Youth Academy.
Held at Camp Stillwood near Cultus Lake, the eight-day program involves demanding physical and academic training, including daytime and nighttime scenarios designed to simulate the rigours of police work.
Organizers say 80 per cent of program grads go on to careers in policing.
Burnaby’s grads this year were Steven Pangas, David Cheung, Kevin Shine, Mark Zhao, Erick Chou, Malika Albanov, Aws Haddad, Carmine Clemente and Milad Wahidullhah.
Youth social justice
Burnaby high school students from across the school district descended on Michael J. Fox Theatre last week for Social Justice Beyond the Classroom Conference 2015.
Organized by Moscrop social justice teacher Daniel Tetrault and sponsored by CUPE, the Burnaby Teachers’ Association and the school board, the conference was designed to give students a chance to learn about social and environmental justice, develop an aptitude for activism and connect with fellow youth.
Interactive workshops were presented by the Positive Space Network, Check Your Head and the BCFed Young Workers program.
The event also featured presentations by Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Mayor Derek Corrigan, Omar Khadr’s lawyer Dennis Edney and Indigenous Hip Hop artist JB the First Lady.
The day concluded with a slam poem by Jacqueline Lee-Tam accompanying a musical chant led by Vanessa Richards. Students then stood and joined together to sing We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For.
Top chef
Burnaby Central’s chief ACE-IT culinary arts instructor chef Stephen Wade earned recognition from his peers recently.
The B.C. Chef Association awarded the local professional cooks training teacher with the Citation of the Year award in February.
Wade was one of six award recipients recognized at the BCCA President’s Ball.
He will be the keynote speaker at a school district scholarship awards brunch in May.
Three of Wade’s students will be presented with awards at the brunch.
