Wooding students ready for Olympic torch

By Wilbur McLean
11 Jan

The Olympic torch is coming to Redcliff. And one fourth grade class at Margaret Wooding School is ready to welcome it.

The torch will arrive in Redcliff on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. and Ms. Tracy Frank’s 4C class is prepared to volunteer with the festivities.

“They’re so excited,” said Ms. Frank. “I remember in 1988 when the torch came through on its way to Calgary and how excited I was. I’m sure it’s the same thing for them.”

The students will be assisting with the torch relay in Redcliff by handing out hot chocolate and Olympic flags to onlookers on Saturday.

The students have spent the last couple of weeks preparing materials for the torch relay including posters they will display and Olympic-themed scarves they will be decorating themselves. In preparation, the class also researched some of the symbols of the Olympics under Ms. Frank’s guidance.

For photos of the class preparations, visit:
http://www.prrdweb.com/Events.php

Ms. Frank got her class involved when she saw a sign posted in Redcliff with information about the torch’s visit. She felt it would be a good opportunity to engage her students in the Olympics on a level deeper than simply watching them.

Student Weston McKay said he has enjoyed the process thus far.

“I like that I get to help my friends,” he said.

The Olympic torch is currently in the latter stages of a criss-crossing, cross-Canada tour that will conclude at the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver on February 12, 2010.

By its conclusion, more than 1,000 Canadian communities will have been included in the torch relay in some fashion. The entire relay will cover approximately 45,000 kilometres.

The students in Ms. Frank’s class are Mathieu Barrett, Tayla Bowey, Cheyenne Brown-Holden, Isabell Burgess, Taija Edel, Jacob Fehr, Telayna Heather-Wyatt, Samantha Hunt, Taron Jahraus, Kendra Kivimaki, Keaton Krause, Weston Lawrence, Kiarra Little, Cody Lyons, Dylan McCuaig, Weston McKay, Alyssa Nelligan, Kelsey Norman, Haley Plamondon, MacKenzie Pond, Serenity Reinhardt, Katelyn Robertson, Petr Rompain, Ryder Sharp, Philip Unger and Franz Wiebe. Teacher Assistant: Alison Newman.