In September 2017 Canada’s History sent out the following:
“We want to hear from you! Tell us in 500 words or in a short video, about why history matters to you, to your community, or to the nation’s future. We’ll share our favourite responses online, but one participant will be invited to present their response live at the 10th Canada’s History Forum in Ottawa this November.”
Mr. Masters posted that invitation on the Edsby feed of his classes back in September, and encouraged students to enter. A few students answered the call, and this week, one of them – Arielle Meyer – ended up being the one student selected to travel to Ottawa to present her paper on why history is relevant. Arielle wrote an eloquent essay that chronicled her journey through Crestwood’s oral history project, going back to her Grade 10 interview with her own grandmother. Since then she has participated in something like fifty interviews, with people from many different times and places, and her essay demonstrated the connective themes of those many discussions. With her superlative speaking ability, Arielle delivered her speech flawlessly and received a tremendous ovation. By taking up the contest challenge, Arielle ended up with fantastic memories and an impressive entry on her resume – not to mention a free trip and hotel stay in Ottawa, a cheque for 250$, and a chance to meet many interesting people in the Canada’s History community!
Please view Arielle’s speech below.
