When COVID hit in the spring of 2020, an annual event impacted heavily was high school graduation. Across the province, schools and grad classes had to adapt to the new realities, scrambling to find a way to celebrate the special achievement while adhering to social distancing rules. While the grade 12 students fretted and planned, those juniors in grade 11 watched and were often thankful it was not them. Now, a year later, they are facing the same situation, the same uncertainty and even heavier restrictions.
With Manitoba as a hot spot for COVID infections, Boissevain School is one of many in the area looking to a second coronavirus grad. Recently, the Class of 2021 chose their valedictorians for the year, Zach Challner and Carter Maurice. For them, it is the usual mixture of knowing they have reached a milestone, with the knowledge they will always look back with a smile.
“In terms of academic success and leadership, our class is very strong so I’m extremely honoured to be a valedictorian as there are many others that are worthy. As far as graduating goes, it’s very bittersweet,” Challner stated. “On one hand I’m excited to move on to the next chapter but on the other hand it will be sad leaving Boissevain School.”
Over the last few weeks, teachers in Boissevain School have been taking advantage of warm weather and the overall community to take education outdoors.
Young students have been seen all over town getting involved in different activities. Principal Stephanie Emberly said all kindergarten to grade eight students have been participating where and when they can. Some are having classes outdoors while others are involved in planned activities.
“We are building outdoor education into our planning more and more,” Emberly explained. “It has been a growing interest that started with the development of the outdoor classroom and natural playground and will continue to grow. Outdoor education has numerous benefits for students cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally.”
Emberly said teachers have been connecting their classes to the environment around them. As she explained, science is a natural for the outdoors. Social studies have a citizenship component, so helping around Boissevain or holding a fundraiser for the community works well.
Like a sentinel, Souris’ famous Hillcrest Museum has been sitting high above the banks of the Souris River for more than a century but now it is in need of some tender love and care and the current board is supplying that in spades.
Last winter the roof began leaking and although the board was aware there was a problem, they thought they had done enough work to keep it leak free, at least for a while. Unfortunately the work merely supplied a band-aid solution and it began leaking in earnest this winter. Damage occurred in the Butterfly Room upstairs, in the adjoining playroom, and downstairs in the main parlour where seepage has run throughout the original tin celling tiles.
It became apparent that major work needed to be done and estimates came in at $80,000 plus.
It might have been a long time coming, and it might not be all that is needed, but the rains that came on the May long weekend were in time to help area producers face the rest of the growing season with more optimism.
The area had a dry year in 2020, and not a lot of snow over the winter. This meant there was not a lot of water on or in the ground this spring when seeding started. Precipitation was needed and needed right away. The forecast called for substantial rain on the May long weekend, although the amounts bounced around as the target date approached. In the end it was spotty, and not near what some predictions had been. For many, however, it was a lifeline. In Boissevain itself, the rain was in the three quarters to an inch level (up to 25 mm), most of it coming on May 21-22. According to the Manitoba Agriculture Crop Report for May 25, the recorded rainfall in the Southwest was between 25 and 35 mm (an inch to an inch and 3/8). Ninette reached as high as 73 mm (nearly three inches).
Keystone Agricultural Producers President Bill Campbell said it was about an inch at his home near Minto. It was spread over a few occurrences, he explained, which meant it went into the soil without puddling or flooding. It was certainly welcome.
