A New Westminster resident is in the running for the Great Teacher Award.
Edina Bajramovic, a teacher at Alexander Hamilton Elementary in Richmond, recently learned that she is among the finalists in the Great Teacher Awards, a contest put on by Canadian Family magazine to recognize and celebrate the top teachers in Canada. The 500-plus entries were narrowed down to 30, at which point a group of education specialists reviewed the nominations and generated the top 13 nominees.
In an email to The Record, Bajramovic states that she has taught kindergarten and grades 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 at Alexander Hamilton Elementary (in Richmond, just across the border from Queensborough) since her graduation from the education program at the University of British Columbia.
"Mrs. Bajramovic was nominated by a parent of a student whose life she touched dearly. Now, she needs online votes to beat out the other 12 Canadian teachers for the title of Greatest Teacher," stated the email. "Mrs. Bajramovic says that both she, as well as the students and community, are excited and have been checking the votes daily. The online voting is gaining momentum, and with more than 9,000 votes. Mrs. Bajramovic was in fourth place on June 11th."
Voting closes on June 30, and people are able to vote once a day. Winners will appear in the August issue of Canadian Family, and the top three teachers will earn a $2,500 prize for their school to go towards supplies and programming.
To vote, visit www.cana dianfamily.ca and click on Great Teacher Awards in the Contests section.
SALMON TIES
Fraser River Discovery Centre is unveiling its newest exhibit with a traditional aboriginal ceremony.
Discovery Centre is celebrating the connection between aboriginal people and salmon on the Fraser River with the unveiling of its newest exhibit, Our Bones are Made of Salmon, with a traditional aboriginal ceremony. The event is taking place on Saturday, June 23 from 1 to 4: 30 p.m.
Designed around the memories and experiences of Musqueam Elder Larry Grant and Stó: lo cultural advisor Sonny McHalsie, Our Bones are Made of Salmon celebrates the enduring traditions of aboriginal salmon fishing and wind-drying in the Fraser Canyon. Visitors to the exhibit will "meet" the two men through a storytelling video that shares the Musqueam and Stó: lo stories of how salmon came to the Fraser River and how salmon is in the hearts of aboriginal people living along the river.
"Through these stories and replicas of aboriginal salmon fishing tools, visitors will learn about the different fishing and preservation techniques and why salmon fishing is vital to aboriginal communities today," states a press release. "The unveiling ceremony will provide guests with the opportunity to experience aboriginal traditions and protocols, and will include a traditional performance of 'first salmon' by Ts'i: eytesh Josette Jim from the Whonnock Tribe."
Aboriginal leaders and government officials will be on hand to unveil the exhibit.
To complement the exhibit, a Grade 4 curriculum education program has been developed that will teach students about the importance of salmon to the aboriginal people.
"Salmon has sustained West Coast First Nations for thousands of years. I am proud that our elders from the Musqueam and Stó: lo Nations have generously shared their salmon stories using the oral tradition," said Bertha Lansdowne, Nuxalk Nation and New Westminster school district's aboriginal education coordinator. "Passing on traditional knowledge is an important aspect of aboriginal culture, and both students and the general public will have an opportunity to learn about the importance of salmon to First Nations living along the Fraser River."
Seating is limited for the June 23 event celebrating the completion of the exhibit, so people should preregister at info@fraser riverdiscovery.org.
Fraser River Discovery Centre is located on the waterfront at 788 Quayside Dr. It's open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer, and admission to its galleries is by donation.
For more, visit www. fraserriverdiscovery.org or call 604-521-8401.
PROTECTING KIDS
Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian is renewing his call for a national ban on marketing aimed directly at children.
Julian re-tabled his private member's bill that calls for a national ban on marketing directly aimed at children younger than 13.
"It is wrong to take advantage of children who do not have the life experience or maturity to interpret commercial advertising. By the time
typical Canadian children have graduated from high school, they have seen, on average, 350,000 television commercials," he said.
Julian said children lack what experts call the "cognitive defences" that are needed to understand these ads. He added that it's much more difficult for children and their parents today because young people are targeted with a greater intensity and frequency of ads than any previous generation.
Bill C-430, which amends the Competition Act and the Food and Drugs Act, was developed in collaboration with the Centre for Science in the Public Interest.
"This kind of legislative approach protects the rights of children and produces results with health outcomes such as lower obesity as one of the many potential benefits," Julian said.
"If we responsibly regulate the advertising they are exposed to, we can help our children increase their chances of living healthier, better lives."
