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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday December 12, 2007 - 11 Living Oakville Beaver · WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2007 11 Banner day for spirited Pine Grove students School program encourages kids to connect with others across the country By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF M ore than 200 students from four different provinces bonded together on Monday in a movement of Canadian solidarity. Just after 2 p.m., banners were unveiled at elementary schools in Oakville, Vancouver, Regina and Saint-Romuald for the second annual `Banner Across Canada' ceremony. The Pine Grove School gym was a sea of red and white as students cheered while banners made by young Canadians from Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Quebec City were unveiled. "I think it's really cool that we get to do this and exchange banners with other schools," said Grade 8 Pine Grove student, Oliver McMayoni. "We're talking about Canada and what Canada's all about." This was all part of an elementary school unity program called Canadian Connections, founded last year by Grade 12 T.A. Blakelock student, Julie Harmgardt. It opened with the singing of the National Anthem, and then a group of more than 20 students read a speech about Canada, with the nation's flag behind them. "Canada is a great nation," said Grade 8 Pine Grove student, Kimberley Haworth, who kicked off the speech. "A land of diversity that embraces vast differences within its borders and among its people. Canada is a mosaic. A mosaic is a picture made of many small pieces of tile. Each piece has its own colour and shape, yet each individual piece contributes to the pattern of the whole mosaic. "That is like each one of us. Together we contribute to the mosaic that makes up Canadian Connections." Jenna Duc-Malagisi was another student who helped read the speech. "I think Canadian Connections provides our children, our boys and girls, the chance to get to know the perspectives of other students, other people across the country." Chris Alexiou, Pine Grove school principal "We're Canadians, we're supposed to feel unified. That's really important, and I think if we can foster the unity now, it'll carry into adulthood." Julie Harmgardt, Canadian Connections founder and Grade 12 T. A. Blakelock student The program is geared at students from Grades 5-8, and is intended to mirror the Lights Across Canada event, where provinces and territories join Parliament Hill in an annual lighting ceremony to reflect national unity. Instead of Lights Across Canada, it's Banners Across Canada, as schools exchange holiday banners. "We're Canadians, we're supposed to feel unified," said Harmgardt, a Pine Grove graduate. "That's really important, and I think if we can foster the unity now, it'll carry into adulthood." That's Canadian Connections' goal ­ to promote national unity among young Canadian students across the country. DERREK WOOLLAM / OAKVILLE BEAVER BANNERS ACROSS CANADA: Pine Grove School students unveil banners from Quebec City and Vancouver during the Banners Across Canada event Monday afternoon. While the Oakville students were unfurling banners here, students in Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Quebec City were doing the same as a demonstration of Canadian unity. Pine Grove's connections Monday were Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy with L'École Bilingue in Vancouver, L'École Kwanza and more. Wilfrid Walker in Regina, and le Juvénat de "What do you guys think. We've got Notre-Dame in Saint-Romuald. some Canadian spirit here?" Harmgardt L'École Wilfrid Walker's sign, which read asked after the banners were unveiled, `Seasons Greetings / Joyeuses Fetes,' was receiving a loud ovation from the students longer than the stage itself. The bottom of present. le Juvénat de Notre-Dame's sign read "from Not only did a handful of Pine Grove your Canadian Connections friends." classes participate, but a class from St. Pine Grove's banner included Merry Joseph's also attended the ceremony. "I was really glad to be part of this huge Canadian celebration," said the Grade 8 student, smiling. "I thought it was really cool that they planned it out so well and everyone got into it." Added 13-year-old Kelsie Zilinski, "We really learned a lot of different things about Canada." The girls made special mention of Harmgardt's efforts. "Thanks to Julie Harmgardt, because that's how this all happened," said Zielinski. Mayor Rob Burton was the guest of honour, and extended the thank-you to everyone involved. "Not only did you today make this a stronger country, but you made it a stronger town, too. And for that, everyone should thank you." Pine Grove hosted last year's Banners Across Canada event, which included Ontario and British Columbia. This year, both Saskatchewan and Quebec joined the cause. "It's a good way for our kids to connect with other kids across the country," said Pine Grove principal, Chris Alexiou. "I think Canadian Connections provides our children, our boys and girls, the chance to get to know the perspectives of other students, other people across the country." Canadian Connections also includes a letter writing component and the exchange of a regional scrapbook, as well as the Banners Across Canada ceremony.