Everyone went home a winner after Big River Arts Society’s (BRASS) annual wine and cheese fundraiser Nov. 24 at the Athabasca and District Seniors Citizens Society.
During the entertainment portion of the evening, local educators stepped up for a bit competition between Whispering Hills Primary School (WHPS) and Landing Trail Intermediate School (LTIS). The theme was Hollywood Game Night, and the prize a $400 certificate towards BRASS programming in the school.
Teachers, teachers assistants and principals faced off in a series of mini-games, including spelling words with foam words while blind folded, playing the “don’t laugh game” to a series of dad jokes, and finishing the lyrics.
After WHPS came out victorious, teams from Athabasca University and the Athabasca Healthcare Centre competed to win LTIS a certificate.
Gina Martel, BRASS executive director said it was hard to follow the success of their Dancing With the Stars theme last year, but “everyone had a great time” with it.
“We want to make sure we’re keeping everything entertaining and fun and light for people, so it’s not just coming out for a bar and dance but that we have some entertainment as well,” she said. “We had some people shouting answers from the audience. That was pretty fun actually to see they weren’t just observing but were interacting a little bit too.”
Lorna Kravontka, WHPS principal, said her team was “thrilled to have won the challenge” but the “real winners” are members of the community.
“Really (we) have such an opportunity to pull in these amazing artist to help us deliver curriculum and that’s really what they do… in a way that the kids are so engaged,” she said.
Kravontka added WHPS has had BRASS help out in the school before, and when students are engaged in something other than group projects or traditional lecture-style teaching, “the engagement sky rockets”.
Martel added attendance was “very good,” with about 125 packed into the seniors centre.
She added it was a “big haul” for LTIS and WHPS to win the $400 certificates, because funding for the arts is lacking in the schools this year.
“You kind of have to get creative in how you can address that problem, and this is one way you can do it,” she said.
“This is always so much fun, every year it’s so much fun,” Martel added.
