Education Week in Richmond kicks off this Sunday, with a packed schedule of student activity and events throughout the city.
The annual event is hosted by the Richmond School District and is intended to celebrate teaching excellence and student achievements.
Many activities will take place at Aberdeen Centre, where rolling art boards from elementary students will set the stage for Science Jam, the Skills BC regional competition, and a Popsicle bridge competition.
The ever-popular Science Jam, Tuesday at 4 p.m., will include more than 600 students from 10 schools displaying their science projects — the first of their kind from the redesigned curriculum, according to the district.
The non-competitive science fair will include Homma elementary students showing off their science experiments that were prepared under the supervision of scientists from MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA), a local aerospace technology firm on Sea Island.
A keynote presentation from Science World scientists also highlights the evening’s activities.
Science will again be a key theme on Friday (March 4), when secondary students perform in the Skills BC competition, which aims to promote technology and career trades.
The competition features fashion technology, graphic design, gravity vehicles, website design, potential energy vehicles and public speaking.
A special skill, applied physics, will be on full display next Sunday (March 6), when students take part in the always-dramatic Popsicle bridge competition.
“The key is to use as many triangles as possible because they’re stronger,” explained Grade 9 Boyd student Annabel Tse, who will try to build the lightest bridge that can support the most weight.
Thousands of people are expected to visit Aberdeen Centre for the various events.
If science isn’t your thing, the district has many students participating in the arts.
Drama will ensue at Theatre McNair next Friday (March 4), at 7 p.m., for the first showing of a locally produced adaptation of Sleepy Hollow.
“We have an amazing theatre program at McNair. The students are used to putting on big shows, however, their dedication to this one has been phenomenal,” said theatre teacher Marco Soriano.
The show will run for seven straight days (Tickets at 604-668-6575) at McNair.
The artistically inclined may also be interested in a hip-hop dance competition, taking place at McRoberts secondary next Friday (March 4), at 6 p.m.
Over 30 teams from around the Lower Mainland will compete to win the 4th annual Notorious Dance Competition.
The McRoberts crew will dance to You Found Me by The Fray.
Richmond’s small but talented group of Aboriginal art students will also stimulate the brain’s right hemisphere with a static display of Pacific Northwest First Nations art at the Brighouse branch of the Richmond Public Library. Notably, renowned artist Steve Smith taught the students a few tricks.
A good opportunity to see the artwork may be during the first formal Education Week event, this Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Brighouse branch, where the public will have an opportunity to meet and speak to each Richmond School Board member to provide comments and questions on any topic, such as school closures, the upcoming budget process, programs or the new curriculum guidelines.
If you are a new parent and unfamiliar with the issues surrounding education, a friendly introduction to public schools will be on tap, this Wednesday.
The district is hosting two open houses for the Strong Start program, which aims to introduce toddlers and new parents to a school environment.
The open houses are part of the Ready Set Learn series of concerts, featuring children’s entertainer Will Stroet. The concerts take place on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at Tait elementary school, and at 1 p.m. at Steves elementary school.
