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A focus on reconciliation

Indigenous and non-indigenous students learn together through Right to Play
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Aaron Hinks photo Painted Turtle Arts Camp students were tasked with designing and decorating a mask at the Right 2 Play program at Beaver Creek Elementary last week.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Right to Play and Beaver Creek Elementary invited indigenous and non-indigenous children to an arts camp last week as a way to connect, share and teach indigenous history and culture.

The ‘Painted Turtle Arts Camp’ is centred around non-competitive play-based activities for elementary school children.

“Every Right to Play game has a sneaky teaching, or intended outcome behind it. Here in Surrey, they focus their programs on building healthy relationships,” said program manager, Emily Gibson.

An example of that, she said, is an emotion-based game of charades. Children were tasked with picking an emotion then acting it out.

“The other kids had a chance to guess what it was,” said program director, Meagan Young. “It’s all about being able to self-identify emotions that they might be feeling to help communicate.”

The arts camp was a new addition to the school’s already-existing Right to Play after-school and summer program, which started last September.

“It’s a really unique opportunity for reconciliation,” Gibson said.

Right to Play is an international program. In B.C, it’s funded through Microsoft with a contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

More information on the organization can be found www.righttoplay.ca/Pages/default.aspx

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Painted Turtle Arts Camp students were tasked with designing and decorating a mask at the Right 2 Play program in Beaver Creek Elementary last week. (Aaron Hinks photo)
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Painted Turtle Arts Camp students were tasked with designing and decorating a mask at the Right 2 Play program in Beaver Creek Elementary last week. (Aaron Hinks photo)


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