MCLELLAND BRINGS GRIT TO REBELS CAMP
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Red Deer Advocate MONDAY, AUG. 31, 2015
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Award-winning teacher continues to give back CANADIAN FAMILY GREAT TEACHER AWARD BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF
much of September,” Proctor said on Friday. He said by Sunday the Red Deer area should improve due to a cold front off the B.C. coast moving inland and crossing west central Alberta. But that won’t be enough to solve the problem, he said. “What really has to happen is fall has to get here for (firefighters) to start to get a handle on things and some decent amount of moisture onto those fires. For that to happen, we have to slot ourselves into the pattern none of us want to talk about at this time of year where we start looking at some rain and potentially some snowfall.” The air quality health index on Friday was forecast to reach a maximum of eight on a scale of 10 in the Red Deer area.
It’s no surprise that an inspiring Red Deer Public teacher wants the money she won for being a top teacher to go towards developing a ‘maker space’ at her school. École Barrie Wilson Elementary School teacher Amanda Wilson was one of three teachers to recently win the 2015 Canadian Family Great Teacher Award. Each won $2,500 for school programming and supplies. The ninth annual awards program by the online magazine Canadian Family recognizes outstanding elementary and secondary school educators from across the country. Twelve semi-finalists were chosen by a panel of judges from among hundreds of nominees. Online voting determined the winners with Wilson receiving the most votes, more than 71,000, during the monthlong contest. Wilson said her winnings will be put toward a maker space which could include toys, like Lego, and tools, like a 3D printer, for students to make things, to play, to be creative. “We’re hoping to start this year. It’s quite expensive to buy all the things that a really good maker space would have. We’re going to put this money towards it and hopefully we can add to it as we grow and budget for it,” said Wilson, 30, of Red Deer. She teaches a Grade 4/5 split class in a double classroom space with another teacher with a Grade 3/ 4 split class in the new school that opened September 2014. The room has a foldable wall to divide the space, but the two teachers prefer to keep it open. “It’s been really cool. There’s been lots of collaboration between her and I, and with other staff. The kids also have a lot of opportunity to collaborate with each other which has been really interesting and a huge learning experience for all of us.” She said her school focuses on project-based learning and researching real world issues instead of just textbook learning. “It’s really exciting to teach that way when the kids are so excited to learn about things they want to learn about.” She was nominated for the award by a parent whose child was in Wilson’s class when she taught at Mountview Elementary School as well as at Barrie Wilson. Barrie Wilson principal Chris Good said Wilson is one of those teachers that does a lot of research into best practices and spends time building relationships with her students. “She just has a really engaging classroom. The kids love to be in her room. The parents are excited to have their kids in her room,” Good said. “I can speak as a parent too. My son was actually in her class last year,” the principal said. Wilson said she was very humbled to receive the award.
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Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff
Marinolo Tababan tries to avoid a Ricardo Revilla punch during one of 13 friendly boxing matches at the grand opening of the Red Deer and District Boxing Club Saturday evening. The club has moved to a new facility at Unit 5, 4940 5th Ave. and is open from 7-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday for potential members to attend training sessions. The Red Deer and District Boxing Club has turned out a large handful of top-notch fighters, including twins Lester and Lowie Cudillo, who have competed throughout Western Canada and won the majority of their tournaments and various awards during their short careers. Amateur standout Brian Samuel, who won a bronze medal in the 2013 Canadian senior national championships and has now embarked on a pro career, still coaches at the not-for-profit club and leads the workouts most nights. Head coach Dennis Ejack recently retired as the vice-president of Boxing Alberta and is assisted by numerous volunteers. The club’s emphasis is on fun, safety and good sportsmanship and prospective members who are not interested in stepping into the ring are still welcome as workouts will be tailored to various needs.
Early fall would clear smoke from Central Alberta skies BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF An early fall is what Albertans need for smokefree skies, according to Environment Canada. Smoke has been streaming into Southern and Central Alberta from Washington State and a few fires in Southern British Columbia for about five days and will likely continue for another month as the wait continues for precipitation to douse the flames. Brian Proctor, warning preparedness meteorologist, said September is generally dry, but seasonal transition could occur to bring about fall precipitation. “It can happen in September. It more typically happens in October. So what I’m suggesting is we have the potential to be plagued with smoke for
Aldrich takes over as Advocate managing editor BY ADVOCATE STAFF The Red Deer Advocate has a new managing editor. Josh Aldrich officially takes over the top spot in the editorial department today from longtime managing editor John Stewart, who is retiring at the end of September. Stewart has been in the post for six and a half years and an important member of the Advocate newsroom for more than 36 years. Aldrich, 32, should be a familiar face to Advocate readers, having spent six combined years in various roles at the Josh Aldrich paper. “It is an honour to be given this opportunity to lead a talented group of journalists and editors,” he said. “I
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have learned much from John and the experienced group we have in the department. My goal is to continue to put out the best product we can on a daily basis to keep our readers across Central Alberta informed of all the news and information that is important in their day-to-day lives.” As the new managing editor, Aldrich says there will be some changes to the Advocate, but he has no plans to turn the paper on its head. One of the big adjustments he has already overseen is the re-imagining of the Friday Forward publication. “We do what we do extremely well,” he said. “With an experienced, dedicated staff, we are the undisputed source for local news in Central Alberta.” A graduate of the Grant MacEwan College journalism program in 2002, he has had stops as a reporter and editor at the St. Paul Journal, the Meridian Booster in Lloydminster, the Nanaimo Daily News and is now in his second stint at the Advocate. At each step along the way, he and the papers he has worked for have earned numerous industry
awards. It’s a standard at the Advocate that he will strive to continue. “I’m thrilled that Josh will be leading the news team at the Advocate,” said Advocate publisher Mary Kemmis. “His knowledge of the area and connections to our community will ensure that the Advocate continues to be Central Alberta’s most trusted source of local news and information.” Despite living all over the province while growing up and as an adult — with a stint in B.C. and one in Ontario thrown in — he has always been drawn back to this region. “There is not much more I could ask for out of a community than what is afforded here in Red Deer — from its location, to its opportunities and most of all the people,” said Aldrich. “I got into the business to tell the story of those I am covering and to be a voice for the people. Now, more than ever, it is a banner that is increasingly important for newspapers to carry.”
Cleanup begins after severe windstorm in B.C. A vicious windstorm on Saturday knocked down trees and caused thousands of people to lose power. Story on PAGE A5
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