Home educators celebrate Canadian heritage in annual fair

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BLOOMFIELD - Eye-popping displays, period costumes and sparkling trophies marked a celebration of Canadian milestones, legends, people and achievements at Central Norton United Baptist Church.

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Heritage Valley Home Educators student Christopher McCready's project about Sugar Bushing was a big hit, especially with the free samples of sweet maple sugar treats on display.

Alexzandrya Caldwell of Fundy Home Educators and her project about Anne of Green Gables caught the eye of Lt.-Gov. Herménégilde Chiasson and his wife Marcia Babineau at the regional heritage fair May 2.

Joseph Ferris of Fundy Home Educators shows off the trophy he won with his project about David Thompson, the man who measured Canada.

Bill Hanson chats with Michael Delaney of Kings County Home Educators about the First Canadian Parachute Battalion.

Percy Fairweather, 5, gets in close to take a peek at Moriah Russell's project about Rockwood Park in Saint John. Fairweather is particularly interested in Lily Lake, which is directly under his nose.

With Lieutenant-Governor Herménégilde Chiasson and his wife, Marcia Babineau, in attendance, home educated students from Heritage Valley, Kings County and Fundy organizations presented annual awards to more than two dozen projects during the seventh annual regional heritage fair May 2.

The big winner of the night was Rebekah Ferris from Fundy Home Educators.

Her project “The Upper Gagetown Scow Yard” earned her a spot in the National Heritage Fair July 7-14 in Victoria, British Columbia.

Scows were a popular sight on the rivers around Gagetown, especially during the Second World War.

Ferris’s great-great grandfather, Grant Gordon, and great-grandfather, Clarence Gordon, were builders of the large flat-bottomed boats used for transporting goods, and sometimes soldiers, in bulk.

“(The scows) helped the Upper Gagetown get through the war,” Ferris said.

As part of her project, Ferris included family pictures of her great-great grandfather and great-grandfather working in the scow yard. Learning about her family’s history, Ferris said, was a wonderful bonus to her awardwinning project.

The envelope please...

The following is a list of all the award winners recognized at the heritage fair:

National History Camp in Victoria B.C.: Rebekah Ferris-”The Upper Gagetown Scowyard”

The Honourable Laurier L. Pierre, OC. Medal: Joshua Gunter-”Billy Bishop: Canadian Flying Ace”

CN Veterans Award: Peter Conley- ”H.M.C.S. Saint John” The NB St. Croix 2004 Award: Clara Allaby- “The Hidden Country: Native Americans”

RBC Foundation Award: Mary, Grace and Beth Allaby-”The Hidden country”

The 2008 East Coast Music Spirit Award: Vance Matheson-”A People of Music”

The BBC Explorers Award: David Ferris-”The Train that United Canada”

The NB Historic Places Award: Moriah Russell-” Rockwood park: A Saint Johner’s Paradise”

The NB Sport Legacy Award: Gordon Brown-”NB Basketball History”

The NB Museum Award of Merit: Hannah Law- “The Saint John Cholera Epidemic of 1854”

The Council of Archives NB Award: Jesse Myers-”Alexander ‘Boss’ Gibson”

Christian Heritage Award Home Educators of NB: Joseph Ferris-”The man who measured Canada”

Scenichaven Agricultural Award: Graeme Matheson-”A Wooly way of Farming”

Matheson Family Veterans Award: Michael Delaney-First Canadian Parachute Battalion

Midland Women’s Institute Award: Rebecca Delaney-”Adelaide Hunter Hoodless”

Student choice awards

Alexandrya Calwell-”Anne of Green Gables”

Christopher McCready-”Sugar Bushing: A sweet and sticky experience”

Costume award

Laura Gunter-”Sewing: Then and Now”

Honourable mentions

Zoe Nadj

Jennie Fairweather

Luke Myers

Floyd and DeWolfe group