They are creative, inspiring, full of knowledge, and sure to teach.
On April 21, students from four local elementary schools will gather at the Fort Langley Community Hall to present their unique history projects during the second annual Langley Heritage Fair.
The free event, presented by the Langley Centennial Museum, Langley Heritage Society, and School District 35, takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The public is invited to attend.
The fair was held for the first time last year to showcase projects about Canada’s heritage, and the enthusiastic kids who created them. It was such a success that it is being held again this year, with students from Langley Meadows Elementary joining returning participants James Kennedy, Richard Bulpitt, and Dorothy Peacock Elementary Schools.
“These fairs give students the opportunity to have fun with history, and the results really are remarkable,” said Langley Centennial Museum assistant Alison Minto. “Everyone involved hopes that even more Langley schools will get on board in the coming years.”
For more than two decades, Canada’s Heritage Fair Program has been challenging students to celebrate this country, its people, and accomplishments through projects on topics of their choosing.
“Students get very enthusiastic about their projects and spend many hours working on them,” Minto said.
The submissions involve research and writing, cover a wide range of school curriculum subjects, and include artistic and presentation components.
The projects are presented at school heritage fairs, with the top entries moving on to regional fairs, then to a Provincial Heritage Celebration.
About 300 students will create projects for school heritage fairs this year at the four local schools.
“The Langley Centennial Museum and Langley Heritage Society are always eager to support teachers and student efforts that complement our own history and heritage goals,” Minto said. “Last year, when Langley district librarian and heritage champion Deb Cowland initially proposed holding a Heritage Fair in Langley to display our local students’ projects prior to the larger Abbotsford Regional Fair, a lot of people were eager to get on board.”
This year, Rosemary Genberg of the Langley Heritage Society recruited close to two dozen judges from the Langley Centennial Museum, the BC Farm Museum, and the LHS to help evaluate, mentor, and guide the students at all the fairs, to support the next generation of budding historians and get them ready for the next round of competition.
Last year, students profiled everything from Canada’s war efforts, sports heroes, and flood events, to space exploration, transportation, Canadian history, and landmarks.
“If the first year was any indication, the judges and the public will be impressed by what they see,” Minto said. “This process awakens an interest in history and our Canadian heritage in children and adults alike, and it is amazing to see the depth and quality of the projects created.”
Fort LangleyLangley AdvanceLangley Centennial MuseumLangley Heritage SocietyLangley School DistrictSchool District 35
