12 P.E.I. finalists in history video contest
Brian Higgins | CBC News | Posted: July 2, 2016 1:01 PM | Last Updated: July 2, 2016
Voting ends July 6 for P.E.I. students participating in national competition
Vote early, vote often, vote here. Twelve Island students have posted 12 short videos at youngcitizens.ca and they need your vote now.
Bailey, from Alberton, explores her Mi'kmaq heritage. Karrie Lee, from O'Leary, rocks the legacy of Canadian bluesman Jeff Healey. Basel, from Charlottetown, shares his journey from Syria to Canada. And there are more.
All of the P.E.I. students won awards at Heritage Fairs last year at school. Now they're in a national contest, among 200 finalists coast to coast to coast, to choose the best of the best. Canada's History Society, based in Winnipeg, is running the contest.
26 winners to travel to Ottawa
"If you need to think about Canada, just watch some of these videos and they'll make you really proud," said Joel Ralph, director of programs at Canada's History Society.
The contest is winding down. Voting began June 12 and ends July 6. Results of the poll will assist judges as they select 26 winners to travel to Ottawa to further their understanding of Canadian heritage and history.
P.E.I. should be really proud of these kids - Joel Ralph, Canada's History Society
Organizers say the P.E.I. finalists are polling well so far.
"P.E.I. actually has one of the strongest heritage fair programs in Canada," said Ralph. "They're a really dedicated group and I think that's reflected in the videos and the quality of the product that everybody has put together and everybody in P.E.I. should be really proud of these kids."
Heritage Fairs began in Winnipeg in the 1990s and now involve more than 100,000 students each year, according to Canada's History Society. They're run by a network of volunteers, often teachers.
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