Grade 5, 6 and 7 class from Khàtìnas.àxh Community School wins Canada's Coolest School Trip

Students from Teslin, Yukon win opportunity of a lifetime to discover Parks Canada's places in Manitoba this summer

OTTAWA, April 10, 2019 /CNW/ - Parks Canada Agency - Today, Parks Canada's Honourary Guide for Families, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, announced that the grade 5, 6 and 7 class from Khàtìnas.àxh Community School in Teslin, Yukon, won this year's edition of Canada's Coolest School Trip. To enter, classes from across Canada submitted a photo essay about a stewardship activity that they participated in which contributed to the protection of the local environment or the presentation of local history and culture.

The winning class submitted a photo essay about a website that they built to share the local traditions of Tlingit culture with the world, such as the button blanket activity. By sharing the valuable cultural traditions and languages that their elders teach them, the class is able to engage with the community through technology and share their history through social media. "Engaging in our local traditions through Tlingit culture allows us to ignite our passion of learning about our aboriginal people." - Grade 5, 6 and 7 class from Khàtìnas.àxh Community School.

This year's winning class will have the opportunity to discover nature and connect with history at Parks Canada's places in Manitoba. Students will discover Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site, visit Riel House National Historic Site and hear tales of Louis Riel's life, check out "the heart of the continent": the Forks National Historic Site, and camp out under the stars in Riding Mountain National Park.

Parks Canada is committed to a system of national heritage places that honours the contributions of Indigenous peoples, their histories and cultures, as well as the special relationship Indigenous peoples have with traditional lands and waters. Working together with more than 300 Indigenous communities across Canada, Parks Canada and Indigenous peoples are partners in conserving, restoring, and presenting Canada's natural and cultural heritage. Canadians are invited to visit Parks Canada's places to learn about Indigenous cultures, traditions, and customs. In doing so, we can create new opportunities for Canadians to better understand the cultures and histories of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Parks Canada would like to thank all the students and teachers from across the country who took the time and effort to enter this year's contest and make an important contribution to their community. The Government of Canada is pleased to continue to offer free admission to all Parks Canada's places for youth aged 17 and under. By encouraging young people to discover nature and connect with history, we can help to inspire the next generation of stewards for these protected places.

Quote
"Encouraging youth to experience the outdoors and learn more about the environment is so important. That is why every year, Canada's Coolest School Trip sends one lucky class on the trip of a lifetime to Parks Canada's places. I am so excited to announce that the grade 5, 6, and 7 class at Khàtìnas.àxh Community School in Teslin, Yukon will be travelling to Parks Canada's places in Manitoba this June. This lucky class will get to visit our national treasures and create memories that will last a lifetime!"

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau,
Parks Canada's Honourary Guide for Families

Quick Facts

• Canada's Coolest School Trip is run by Parks Canada in collaboration with The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Canadian Wildlife Federation, and Historic Canada, with the prize sponsors. The program is supported by contest partner Air Canada. Meals, accommodations, and transportation will be provided.
• Classes with up to 35 students from a grade 7, 8, and 9 / secondary 1, 2, and 3, including split level classes containing Grade 7, 8 or 9/Secondary 1, 2 or 3 students were eligible to enter the contest. Entries were received between September 10, 2018, and February 22, 2019. A public voting period took place between March 4 and March 20, 2019. A panel of judges selected the winning entry from the ten videos with the most public votes and five additional Staff Pick finalists.
• Other prizes include three runner-up local Parks Canada field trips and six honourable mention prize packages. The runner-up prizes were awarded to classes at the following schools: Pauline Johnson Elementary (West Vancouver, British Columbia), Indian Head High School (Indian Head, Saskatchewan), Jack Chambers (London, Ontario). These classes have won a field trip to a local Parks Canada's place or to a special natural or historic place near them.
• To view the entries and the full contest rules and conditions, visit http://coolestschooltrip.ca/en/

Associated Links

• Parks Canada website
• Canada's Coolest School Trip website
• Parks Canada Discovery Pass Order Online
• Parks Canada Campsite Online Reservation System
• Parks Canada mobile application

SOURCE Parks Canada