North Addington Education Centre has been certified as an Ontario EcoSchool for the eighth year in a row. NAEC has received Silver certification for 2015-2016.

North Addington Education Centre recently applied for EcoSchool certification. EcoSchools is an environmental education program in Ontario that helps students and schools to become more environmentally friendly. To become a certified EcoSchool the school must show achievement in leadership, energy conservation, waste minimization, ecological literacy, curriculum and school ground greening.

NAEC showed their commitment to the environment throughout the 2015-2016 school year through events such as National Sweater Day, Earth Hour and Earth Day.

“I am so proud of our students. It takes a lot of hard work over a long period of time to earn certification. This type of commitment to the school, the community and the environment is fantastic. Thank you to Ms. Randle and her hard-working team,” said Angela Salmond, principal at NAEC.

EcoSchools is a voluntary program led by teachers and volunteers at schools across Ontario.

For the first time, 10 North Addington Education Centre photography students will be featuring their photography and graphic art in the Bon Echo Art Exhibition and Sale. Students have been collecting photos they’ve taken in and outside of their photography class to submit for this show. The photos range from beautiful perspectives of our Canadian landscape, to abstract light graffiti pieces.

This is not the first time NAEC students have had their art displayed for the community to see. Thirteen students had 18 photographs of 50 entries from all participating schools selected for the Students’ Spring Art Exhibition 2016 at the Lennox and Addington County General Hospital, in Napanee.

"It is an amazing opportunity for us to be able to show off our photography," said Terri-Lynn, "I am thrilled that I can show my photographs to the community!"

Come visit their booth at the Bon Echo Art Exhibition and Sale on July 22, 23 and 24!

On May 26, Natalie Reynolds was recognized for her outstanding design of the Clarendon and Miller Community Archives logo. Brenda Martin, the chairperson for the CMCA, awarded Natalie with a booklet of samples of the logo on brochures, buttons and an image of the logo on the official sign in Plevna. Reynolds’ logo is also being used on the CMCA website. This logo was created for the ten-year anniversary and was unveiled at the anniversary event. The CMCA and community are very excited about this new logo as it captures what they want to represent; the preservation of history in Clarendon and Miller. Reynolds, a grade 11 Graphic Arts student at North Addington Education Centre, also won gold for Graphic Design Presentation at this year’s Limestone District School Board Skills Competition and went on to compete provincially in Waterloo. Check out Natalie’s logo at http://www.clarmillarchives.ca.

NAEC has started a program called “Tall Tails: Stories with Chiclet”. Students will meet with Therapy Dog Chiclet and her handler, Mrs. Decou, for approximately 15-20 minutes per week to read stories aloud.

Chiclet is a 4-year-old Newfoundland dog, which has passed an intensive assessment process to become a Certified Therapy Dog with St. John Ambulance. As well as having professional qualifications, Chiclet has a sweet, gentle personality. Students read aloud to Chiclet in a safe, relaxing and non-judgemental environment. This is particularly suitable for students who are self-conscious about reading aloud in front of their classmates. As they progress, their reading improves because they are practicing their skills, building self-esteem, and associating reading with something pleasant.

Chiclet has all her vaccinations, and is clean and well-groomed. She is also in a location in the school where anyone with allergies or anxieties will never even see her. Chiclet has been participating in the program since just after Christmas, and students are really enjoying their time reading to her.

The Limestone District School Board honoured 14 dedicated and compassionate young people with Limestone Student Achievers Awards for their outstanding achievements. The 2016 honorees have made significant contributions and accomplishments throughout their high school careers, both in their school and throughout the broader community. Congratulations to all recipients.

Nick Adams - Sydenham High School

Nick Adams is a true leader, a visionary and an all-around excellent young man. He broke two school records in Track and has medalled at KASSAA and EOSSA for both cross country and track. Nick has always been a strong student academically and athletically but it’s in other, less recognized ways, that Nick truly shines. He is a modest yet effective leader at Sydenham High School. He is known for taking initiative to seek out areas that need improvement, constructing plans to address these needs and seeing these plans to successful completion. Nick is always the first choice to be the master of ceremonies for school assemblies and events and he does so with wit and charm and a commanding presence. He will happily and effectively be another student’s campaign manager in the race for Co-President of Student Council. Nick is always looking to fix problems and to help others. He is always working on plans and strategies to help those less fortunate in food drives or fundraising for Syrian Refugees. When some of our students were in an accident this year, Nick was the first one at the hospital offering support in any way he could. Nick is also an integral member of the school’s Red Cross team, which works to prevent bullying and create a positive school climate. When asked to peer tutor other students he always agrees and is the most patient, clear and empathetic teacher to his fellow students.

 Riley Teal - Granite Ridge Education Centre

You have all heard, “It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s Superman!” Let us introduce you to Granite Ridge Education Centre’s Superman. His name is Riley Teal and although he cannot fly, his personal qualities make him heroic to a number of people in the classroom, on the court or field, and in the community. Academically speaking, Riley excels in all subject areas. His strong work ethic propels him to the front of the class. Like Clarke Kent, his demeanour in class may seem reserved and quiet, but do not let his mild manner mislead you, as he possesses superior learning skills. Riley is very diligent with his work. He takes initiative in what he is doing and is very thorough in all of his assignments. He may not be able to leap buildings in a single bound, but he did complete an entire week’s worth of math homework in Grade 9 in one single night. Riley sets an extremely high standard for other students in his grade. When receiving their results for the OSSLT, his classmates would ask, “Was I close to Riley?” This young man has received numerous subject awards and was the recipient of the proficiency trophy in Grade 9, 10 and 11: Riley has his sights set on attaining this for Grade 12 as well. Riley is conscientious, and a creative problem-solver. He can work in any group and can bind any team. The reference to a superhero is not accidental. A spectator can easily spot Riley on the court as he wears his trademark superman socks during the volleyball and basketball games. Given the opportunity, he would wear them during soccer, track and hardball games, as he is actively involved in all aspects of athletics. Last year, he organized three-pitch softball intramurals at lunch for the secondary students. For each team, he is a dedicated and competitive player while respecting the rules and players of the game. He is extremely coachable, winning four coach’s awards during his three years as a Gryphon. He leads by example on the court and on the field. His leadership skills extend beyond athletics and encompass the entire school and community. Riley is an active and dedicated member of the District #4 Recreation Committee and a dependable participant/volunteer for the Relay for Life. He has submitted over 200 community volunteer hours.

Andre Tryon - North Addington Education Centre

At North Addington Education Centre, we are fortunate enough to watch as small children grow into capable young adults prepared to face the future. Andre Tryon is a wonderful example of our good fortune. If there is something happening at NAEC, you can expect to find Andre working behind the scenes or upfront directing the action. As a leader and a role model, Andre’s experiences are far-reaching—literally. Last year, Andre became interested in an exchange with a student from Italy. Andre had to take an extra course load last year to ensure he would graduate this year; he did this with no reservation. While Illya visited Canada, Andre was a wonderful ambassador, and while on exchange, Andre shared his experiences in a weekly on-line forum with our Writers’ Craft class—this became a valuable learning experience for everyone. In the area of athletics, Andre has not only shown himself as a skilled and recognized hockey player outside of school, he is also a hard-working, capable athlete on the volleyball court where, this year, he served as our captain. In addition to his own skills, he is committed to helping provide athletic opportunities for others. Andre helps organize a weekly volleyball evening so students can be active all year, and led a lunchtime program aimed at developing athletes in the elementary part of our school. Oftentimes, Andre would play alongside our young athletes as he modelled good sportsmanship, a positive attitude and a genuine commitment to having fun. Andre is also committed to our school as a whole. This year, he is co-president of our students’ council; last year he was the council’s vice president. Andre often makes us wonder how he finds time and energy for everything. His work with our local volunteer fire department has led him to participate in numerous courses and certifications. This, in addition to school, athletics and a part-time job make Andre a very busy young man. Andre’s efforts are not limited to helping others. He has maintained a high academic average throughout high school and has been recognized with numerous proficiency awards. Andre has also participated in the Limestone Skills Competition. His gold medal win in Kingston allowed him to represent Limestone at the provincial level. The scope of his abilities is almost limitless.

A group of 22 NAEC students and 4 staff went to a Sweat Lodge ceremony in Inverary at the home of Bernard and Tammy Nelson, on April 29. There was no cost for this trip, as it was paid for by NAEC’s “Speak Up” grant. The Sweat Lodge ceremony is a First Nations ceremony designed to promote personal and spiritual well-being. It combines story-telling, prayer and steam in a holistic approach. The students and staff were educated on the background of the Sacred Fire and the Sweat Lodge. The Sacred Fire is started several hours before the ceremony, and watched over by the fire keeper. The stones, which are placed in the Sweat Lodge and given water to drink (which creates steam), are called the Grandfathers and Grandmothers. They were introduced by the fire keeper, Burk Donio, and Lucas Parks accepted them and placed them in the centre of the lodge.

By a strange twist of fate, one of the students, Emma Fuller, realized that she was in the former home of her great grandfather and great grandmother. This added a layer of meaning to the ceremony, which honours family members.

As well as participating in the Sweat Lodge ceremony, the student helped prepare a feast. Because of Emma Fuller’s connection to the location, she was asked to prepare the Spirit Plate. This consists of a small sample from each dish, sprinkled with tobacco and offered to the Sacred Fire.

The North Addington community is saddened by the passing of Chris Curtis. Chris was the operator of Curtis Trailers in Kaladar and passed away due to injuries sustained in an unfortunate fire at his place of business. He has been a supporter to our local youth by employing cooperative education students from North Addington Education Centre since he started operating Curtis Trailers. In the past eight years alone, Chris has employed eight of our students. Because of Chris, some of our students are working in welding and other related trades.

Chris Curtis was definitely a teacher at large in our community. He believed in the success of each student and did everything in his power to make sure they had the needed resources and support. He was always willing to help out, and Chris never hesitated when asked if he would take a co-op student. The answer was always “Yes, when can they start?”

In addition to co-op, Curtis provided expertise to our welding and manufacturing classes, and assisted in obtaining material for projects and classes. He never overlooked an opportunity to help his alma mater.

Chris Curtis was a valuable community partner to North Addington Education Centre's cooperative education and technology programs and he will be greatly missed.

Students at North Addington Education Centre (NAEC) are becoming adept target shooters thanks to a special program that is spreading quickly in schools across the country. The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) teaches archery to intermediate and high school students and has been offered to students at NAEC for the last three years.

NAEC teacher Sarah Sproule, who runs the program, said that her school was one of the first in Ontario to adopt the program. That was due to Sproule's enthusiasm for outdoor learning (she also heads up the NAEC's outdoor program). Sproule is an avid bow hunter and back in 2014 she championed the program and approached the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters for their support. She pretty much single-handedly did the fundraising to acquire the equipment, which costs approximately $8000.

Not surprisingly, it is Sproule who travels to schools across Ontario to train other NASP instructors and also not surprisingly she strongly believes that NASP has a very positive influence on students, especially those at risk. The program shows students how to use a bow and arrow and how to shoot at targets from a number of distances. Participating students also compete in school-to-school tournaments. This year the NAEC 's archery students have competed in two tournaments and the last will be featured in the OFAH magazine. The older students, who were shooting in the gym on May 3 when I visited, are especially keen and together they set up the equipment, which includes bows, arrows and targets in just five minutes flat. The targets have international-style target faces, plus one deer and one bear.

Sproule leads the session using the verbal and whistle commands that meet all of the mandatory safety requirements. Many of the students said that archery has helped their focus and concentration and has opened up a whole new social element for them at the school. Nathan, a grade 12 student, said he loves the dexterity involved; the fact that the sport is practical; and how it helps him get out his frustrations, which otherwise might manifest in more negative ways. ”My confidence has also really improved as a result,” he said.

Brittany likes the fact that the sport attracts similar-minded kids and said she also loves the social element.

Four of the seven students said they asked for a bow for Christmas, which shows how the sport can easily become a part of their everyday lives. Younger students at the school are also taking up the bow and Sproule here reiterated the NASP motto, which is “Changing lives, one arrow at a time".

Of course there are so many fitting analogies associated with learning how to hit a target. Learning how to focus, how to calm both the body and mind to achieve the best results and persevering when things are going a bit off course are a few that come to mind.

Sproule's enthusiasm for the program is spreading and she just recently trained staff at Granite Ridge Education Centre in Sharbot Lake and at the Madawaska Valley District High School, who have both just adopted the program. In the short time that I was there I witnessed a few bulls-eyes and you can bet that the deer and the bear have seen much better days.

Last week, eight North Addington Education Centre students traveled to Waterloo, Ontario as part of Team Limestone, competing in the Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC) against the top students in every school board in Ontario.

Kayden Snider, Bradley Kavanaugh-Sweeny, Bryce Runions and David Chen competed in the Elementary Team of Four- 2D Animation competition. This competition required students to story board, design and then animate a given scenario on the computer.

In the Secondary Division, Kameron Armstrong competed in Workplace Health and Safety including a written test, a presentation on welding safety and conducting spot inspections at the competition.

Natalie Reynolds competed in the Graphic Design Presentation competition, where she made a 15-minute presentation of her designs for the 2017 OTSC, Facebook Banner and T-shirt design.

Emma Fuller competed in the Graphic Design Studio Production competition, designing a brochure and packaging material for the St. Jacob's Farmers Market, and using three different design programs, two of which she learned for the competition.

Bree Gillingham competed in the Digital Photography competition bringing her best photograph, completing an editing test, shooting the many competitions at OTSC to tell a narrative and then editing these images for evaluation.

Overall Team Limestone did extremely well, wining Gold in Auto Collision Repair, Gold in Electrical Installation, Silver in Secondary 2D Animation, team of two, and Bronze in Culinary Arts.

Congratulations to all the students who competed in this year's Ontario Technological Skills Competition!

On April 20, close to 70 enthusiastic volunteers gathered at the boat launch at Deerock Lake near Flinton, armed with gloves and bags, eager to clean up the mess that careless campers left behind over the years.

The lake, which is located in the Elzevir Peatlands Conservations Reserve, is protected under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act and receives the same kind of protection that the local provincial parks do.

The area attracts campers and fishers, and offers 28 picturesque campsites. Most of them are located on small islands, and are free to visitors on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Unfortunately, campers have failed to heed the sign on the road leading to the boat launch that reads: “Please, take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but foot prints.”

The cleanup was initiated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) and was also supported by Quinte Conservation, who owns the 60-70 acre parcel of land in and around the boat launch.

They were joined by numerous local groups and organizations, including members of the Conservationists of Frontenac Addington (COFA); the Frontenac Addington Trappers Council; the Township of Addington Highlands as well as staff and students from North Addington Education Centre; and employees from the Milestone Funeral Center in Northbrook.

The event demonstrated how cooperation between like-minded groups can positively impact the natural environment they share. The event was headed up by Justin Punchard, a partnership specialist with the MNRF, who works for the Peterborough district at the Kingston field office.

Punchard instructed and organized the volunteers, who met at the boat launch at 9am and were supplied with a map of the lake, rubber gloves and plastic bags. They then took to their boats and headed out to their designated locations on the lake.

“The goal here today is to clean up all of the campsites and surrounding shoreline to ensure the sustainable use of the site for the future, and to return it back to its natural state,” Punchard said. He said that the group would be collecting mostly household recyclables, like pop cans and pop bottles, but also numerous lawn chairs that were left behind to rot.

Addington Highlands Township provided a large bin and a tri-axle dump truck, the former to collect recyclables and the latter to collect garbage. Both delivered the waste to the Kaladar dumpsite later that day. Toxic materials were also separated and hauled off. Those planning to visit the site this year will no doubt notice a big change.

Terry Murphy, manager of Quinte Conservation, said that the area is a very popular fishing place. “We are hoping that by cleaning up the islands and doing a good public relations job, we'll be able to convince users to keep the lake and the islands clean so we can keep the access to the lake open to the public. We want people to be able to use the area, but we also want people to respect it”, Murphy said.

Wilf Deline, president of the Frontenac Addington Trappers Council, had the same motivation for taking part. “This is our backyard and where we live, so it's important for us to be here today to help, and we just hope that people down the road keep it clean.”

Punchard thanked staff from Quinte Conservation, who he said are key stakeholders, and also thanked all the volunteers and other local resource groups who made the event so successful.

Visitors to the area are required to pay $10 for parking in the summer months, which will be managed by local students, who will also be responsible for educating the public about keeping the area clean. Murphy said that this event is the first massive cleanup of the area and he hopes it won't have to happen again.