PREMIERE ISSUE FALL 2019 I t7xmagazine.com
SEASONAL Stressbusters
EDUCATION EVOLUTION
Tracing the history of Spruce Grove High
STUDENT SNACKS
How to keep your star pupils energized
DRESS MODE The debate over school uniforms
T7X MAGAZINE
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 Fall 2019 PUBLISHER
EDITOR
Rob Lightfoot
Gene Kosowan
Contents
ART DIRECTION
Brenda Lakeman, Correna Saunders DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Correna Saunders PHOTOGRAPHY
Brenda Lakeman CONTRIBUTORS
Rudy Howell, Paula Kirman, Markwell Lyon, Shima Zonneveld OFFICE MANAGER
Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Image page 6 © mast3r/Adobe Stock Image page 8 © juliabatsheva/Adobe Stock Image page 32 © xana_ukr/Adobe Stock
ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT) ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)
For editorial inquiries or information, contact T7X magazine at info@t7xmagazine.com. Have something to say? Letters, suggestions or ideas can be sent to letters@t7xmagazine.com. FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Rob Lightfoot rob@t7xmagazine.com 780 940 6212 or visit t7xmagazine.com
Conversations 6
T7X magazine is published by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2019 T8N Publishing Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Content marked by the Sponsored Content icon was produced in partnership between content producers and T7X magazine. PRINTED IN CANADA
School uniforms are making a comeback across the continent, but are local educators embracing their return?
Arts & Culture 9
Strength Through Sisterhood
A mystical foursome's holistic approach to women's health.
T8N PUBLISHING INC PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT
Rob Lightfoot: rob@t7xmagazine.com
Dressed to Learn
City 14
THEN & NOW Path To Higher Learning How Spruce Grove High has met the city's changing education needs.
CONNECT WITH US
/t7xmagazine
18
Living 16
THE 7s
Sweet Relief
Products and ideas to endure the upcoming fall rush.
21
FOOD & GATHERINGS Snacking with Class Treats to keep your studious kids on the go.
Spotlight 26 28
Pom Pom It Up
Cheerleader accessories are versatile and easy to create.
The Crosswalk
Let's get our brains back in gear for the start of a new school year!
MEET YOU THERE A Fast Food Legacy
Jack's Drive-In continues to curb appetites after nearly six decades. T7X Fall 2019 1
The kids are heading back to school, now is the perfect time to
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I FROM THE PUBLISHER I WELCOME TO T7X MAGAZINE!
Rob Lightfoot Publisher
My name is Rob Lightfoot, and I’m the publisher of T7X Magazine. Having grown up in a community connected to Edmonton, I feel so much of what makes Greater Edmonton unique is the communities that surround it. These communities, Spruce Grove included, are where we sleep, eat, play, recreate and raise our families. We make a home in our communities, as my family has made a home in a wonderful community. And a home is exactly what I hope this magazine will be. A home for ideas, a home for conversations, a place to invite people in—a place for you.
Asking questions, examining pop-culture and contributing to the community are things I’ve always done. It runs in the family. As a kid, I remember my parents volunteering in community organizations and sitting on boards and how my sister actively challenged the status quo on social issues. Since then, my career has included memorable jobs, such as starving as a young sales rep for the U of A’s radio station, working for the record company (yes, record company) that released Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise, planning tours as a booking agent for over 80 US touring acts (many of whom slept on my couch) and becoming the sales manager and, subsequently, publisher for Vue Weekly and PostVue Publishing. Five years go, I left my job of nearly 16 years to take on the challenge of delivering to unique communities publications like the one you hold in your hands. This began with T8N Magazine in St.Albert, but I felt that other communities deserved magazines they could call their own.
On the Cover A change in seasons requires a shifting of gears, especially in the fall, when we all go back to those routines we almost abandoned during those sunnier months. But you can still catch the splendour that autumn has to offer, as cover model Kierah Jorgensen is discovering.
T7X Magazine is the result of countless hours of hard work by our creative team. I wish to thank each of them, Brenda Lakeman, Correna Saunders and Gene Kosowan for their tireless energy, amazing ideas and enthusiasm. We are so proud of the results. On behalf of us all, I sincerely hope you will enjoy what we’ve made and that it will feel like…home.
Gene’s no stranger to urban publications, having been the founding managing editor of the now-defunct SEE Magazine and Vue Weekly, Gene Kosowan as well as a Editor contributor and copy editor for Avenue. He’s also written for the Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun and Georgia Straight, while more recent online ventures include contributing to national sites by yp.com and Valnet Interactive. In his spare time, Gene composes electronic music and had releases issued worldwide on a variety of digital labels based in Europe.
4 T7Xmagazine.com
Since its inception five years ago, Brenda has brought her passion for inspirational visual storytelling to T8N Publishing. She loves discovBrenda Lakeman ering and capturing Photography the unique passion and personalities, of the people and communities highlighted throughout our publications. Brenda has fond memories of visiting and living in Spruce Grove, including the highly anticipated pit stop at MacDonald's on long road trips and a summer spent serving up double-doubles at the local Tim Hortons. She looks forward to making more memories as she gets to know more about the people who make this such a great city.
Throughout her professional career, Correna has gained valuable design experience working for a full-service publication and Correna Saunders design studio, Graphic Design successfully helping build and maintain a leading brand with a national company and creating several successful advertising and marketing projects as a freelance graphic designer. She is looking forward to combining her passion for art and technology to communicate ideas that will continue to inspire and inform the residents of this great community.
I CONVERSATIONS I
Dressed to
Learn
A growing number of schools require students to wear uniforms, but do the results justify stricter dress codes? BY MARKWELL LYON
6 T7Xmagazine.com
AT FIRST, PATRICIA Bullock was having
Coming into Fashion
none of it. “ I was pretty sure the world was going to end,” she laughs. Bullock was then entering Grade 11 at her new school in Regina, and she was less than enthused to learn that she’d have to wear a uniform. Consisting of a white blouse, navy dress, and a polyester A-line jumper with a “very ugly” school crest, it was an outfit that emphasized function over fashion. And yet, Bullock warmed up to the uniform pretty quickly—if not its look, then at least the way it simplified things. “That is actually what I found, that it was incredibly freeing.”
Bullock is now the mother of a teenage daughter who recently graduated from the Nellie McClung Girls’ Junior High, a program within Edmonton Public Schools. A noticeable aspect of the program is the uniforms worn by its students, known as “Nellies.” The basic or “number one” uniform consists of a blue-and-green tartan kilt and tie, white oxford shirt, navy cardigan and knee socks, and black shoes. The uniform wasn’t the primary reason that Bullock’s daughter chose the program, but it helped it stand out.
Although in Canada we don’t have a culture of wearing uniforms to school, the larger debate over dress codes and what kids should or shouldn’t be wearing to school is very much alive. For some parents and school districts, the answer lies in school uniforms. The idea has been gaining some traction in recent decades. In the U.S., over a fifth of public schools now require uniforms, up from around 12 percent in 2000. Stats for Canada are hard to come by, but school uniforms are fairly common in Quebec and in Catholic schools in southern Ontario. Here in central Alberta the idea is still fairly new, but with a number of local schools and programs opting for uniforms over civvies, it’s an option that’s worth taking a deeper look at.
“She was just attracted to the idea of being in that [all girls] community,” Bullock says. “It was a smaller school, which is also appealing, and just being able to explore some diversity, I think that was important as well.” Established in 1995, the Nellie McClung program currently has two campuses, Avonmore in southeast Edmonton and Oliver in the central core, though it will soon consolidate at the latter, where Bullock's daughter studied. The "Nellies" share Oliver School with both an elementary and a French-immersion Kindergarten. While only the Nellies wear a uniform, all three are public school programs. It's an important distinction, as Bullock found she would often have to inform people that no, her daughter was not attending a private school.
Locally, school districts are fairly open to the idea of implementing uniforms—if that’s what parents ask for. But those decisions are typically left to the discretion of individual schools and their communities.
Nonetheless, Oliver School is one place that almost cries out for a blouse, blazer, and kilt combo. Its centerpiece is the original three-storey, red-brick schoolhouse, which opened in March 1911. "Boys" is still etched in the stone doorway arch above one of the original entrances, "Girls" above the other. "It's like going to Hogwarts," says Bullock. "They even have a Harry Potter week every year."
In Spruce Grove and Stony Plain, only the private Living Waters Christian school has a uniform policy for its K-12 students. To date there’s been little interest within the public or separate districts. Jordi Weidman of Parkland School District notes that, like elsewhere, it’s largely up to individual schools to set dress codes, and there hasn’t been any debate about implementing uniforms in any of its schools.
It may be assumed that most Canadian teenagers aren’t exactly clamouring for the opportunity to wear a uniform to school. But according to Bullock, a lot of first-year Nellies are doing so for the first time, indicating at least that it’s not always a deal-breaker. Curiosity may play a small role, as uniforms are still a fairly rare sight at publicly funded schools in Alberta. Nonetheless, uniforms have found a foothold here, T7X Fall 2019 7
kids the mental bandwidth to cope with the things that are,” she explains. “You don’t want your teenage girl to be out of good choices by 2:00 in the afternoon.”
What do kids think?
in such public programs as Nellie McClung and Cogito, in charter schools like Aurora, and in “academy”-style schools like Jean Forest, an all-girls program within Edmonton Catholic Schools.
Pros and Cons The reasons why can likely be found in the positive things people often associate with uniforms: academic achievement, discipline, hard work, and the like. Harry Potter probably hasn’t hurt, either. Interestingly, in the U.S. the idea of uniforms has caught on strongly in many inner-city, low-income neighbourhoods. Worried about gang influence and unnecessary competition in clothing, education officials have increasingly turned to uniforms as a way to encourage professionalism among students. Proponents of uniforms often point to the clothing aspect as a reason for implementing uniforms. They see clothes as too much of a distraction for students. Like adults, kids have a tendency to size each other up based on fashion choices, and clothes can further reveal income differences between families. Then there’s the cost, in time and money, of purchasing clothes and deciding what to wear each morning. The research is rather inconclusive, but does point to some positive effects of uniforms. A 2011 study out of Texas, for example, suggests that uniforms help improve attendance and graduation rates. 8 T7Xmagazine.com
However, that same study did not find a link between uniforms and grades. Opponents are also quick to point out that uniforms are frequently seen as symbols of conformity and a way for school administrators to exert authority and mitigate personal expression. Then there’s the cost. Oddly, this one winds up being an argument both for and against uniforms. It can be a lot to pay upfront, although the clothes do tend to last a while, possibly saving parents money in the long run. According to Bullock, the kilt alone at Nellie McClung costs around $100, but in three years she only had to buy two, along with one sweater and two. Not including shoes, she estimates she spent around $700 over three years. She also points out that schools help out through used uniform sales, and many students donate old uniforms once they’ve moved on. Whether the additional cost is a burden or a bargain may depend on the specific uniform and the perspective of the person paying for it. For Bullock, it comes down to the practicality of a uniform. Her own high school uniform, while not attractive, was at least designed to be affordable and could even be sewn and put together at home. The simplicity of a uniform that everyone else at school wears also has some appeal—in fact, it was the very thing Bullock found freeing about her own experience of wearing a uniform. “The more we can simplify the things that aren’t important, the more we give
Unsurprisingly, student opinions are also divided and often echo those of adults. Cordelia Byfield, 10, who has worn a uniform for six years in the Cogito program at Stratford School in Edmonton, feels that uniforms improve learning. “Sometimes people make fun of or gossip about others because of their clothing,” she says. “Then their focus gets worse and they don’t do as well in school as they could. Her sister Mercia, 15, has spent the last four years in a non-uniform school after four years at Stratford. She doesn’t feel uniforms restrict personal expression. “Just because a student has access to better clothes does not mean they can better express themselves.” Fiona, a recent high school graduate who wore a uniform at Nellie McClung, is somewhat more ambivalent about the experience. “It was kinda nice to not have to worry about outfits every day. It also did not look good on any of us, which was unifying in a way.” As for the link between uniforms and good grades, she’s more dismissive. “I got honours in junior high in my kilt, knee socks, and oxford shirt, and I got honours in high school when I rolled up in a crop top three days in a row. People learn best when they are comfortable. If that’s in a hijab, or in pajama pants, or short shorts, all the more power to them.” Bullock admits that uniforms are an attraction for some, but not for all. For her, programs like Nellie McClung and their uniform policies at least provide an additional option for parents and students looking, perhaps, for a purer learning environment. She rightly points out that even non-uniform schools still have “uniforms,” albeit ones decided by family income and fashion trends and not by educational expectations. “It puts up a lot of barriers that have nothing to do with learning, and at the end of the day, have nothing to do with life.” t7x
I ARTS & CULTURE I
Strength Through
Sisterhood
The Mystic Sisters address the needs of modern women through ancient practices BY PAULA E. KIRMAN; PHOTOGRAGHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN
THE MYSTIC SISTERS are fully versed in the
divine and powerful lessons taught by the universe. One they experienced recently was that even when the whole shebang hits the proverbial fan, things have a way of working out in the end.
T7X T7XFall Fall 2019  9
That’s exactly what happened with a moon circle the group organized in January. The quartet had rented out a downtown loft in Edmonton for the occasion designed to bring in the New Year only to find out at the last minute that they were given a different space a few blocks away. Arriving late for setup at the venue, still with scaffolding on the premises and the smell of paint permeating the interior, three of the Sisters prepped the room while one was relegated to sending emails, social media messages and texts to the 25 patrons slated to take part. “We ended up only starting five minutes late and everyone arrived safely,” says Clare Newman, one of the Sisters. “Then, halfway through the circle two fire trucks, sirens blazing and lights flashing, arrived outside just as we finished our meditation.” Fortunately for the Mystic Sisters, moon circles —ancient women-only rituals designed to harness lunar energy for spiritual well-being— aren’t deemed as safety hazards in Edmonton, since it turned out the fire trucks were responding to an alarm from a nearby building. It’s also an incident that Newman and cohorts Susanne Venaas, Raeleigne Can Petten, and Tara Cawson can laugh about these days.
But the events they orchestrate, from private circles and retreats to training sessions and workshops, are taken very seriously by the Mystic Sisters and female clientele. All four are trained yoga teachers, as well as skilled in different aspects of alternative health and wellness such as reiki, reflexology, shamanic drumming, and energy healing. While some aspects of the Mystic Sisters' practices might strike people as being New Age, Celtic, or Wiccan, none of them subscribes to any particular creed. “We certainly celebrate the wheel of the year which consists of the solstices and equinoxes as well as their mid-points,” says Venaas. “Each of these festivities have roots in the Pagan, Celtic, and Wiccan traditions. They are celebrations of both Mother Nature and light and darkness. While all of these celebrations have roots in those areas, we wouldn't say that any of us identify as Wiccan, nor do we identify as one faith or belief system. It's interesting to follow the energy shifts of the earth in a year as well as the energy shifts of each lunar cycle.” Regardless of their perspectives on the crafts they pursue, The Mystic Sisters draw women from almost all walks of life, although the bulk of their patrons range from 30 to 50 years old, who, as Venass says “are looking for ways in which to have a safe space to share similar struggles and triumphs that feel real, authentic, and connected.” The circles are private, usually in a home or T7X Fall Fall 2019 2019 11 11 T7X
rented space, and can include a guided meditation, fire release ceremony, intention setting, the use of oracle cards to receive guidance, cleansing (with sage or palo santo incense), and a safe space to share and connect with other women on a spiritual level to empower each other. Even though women have been coming together in sacred spaces for centuries, the Mystic Sisters have found that there’s a great deal of demand for what they offer, especially in more secular, modern times. 12 T7Xmagazine.com
Many women looking for relief from stress and anxiety and are going through transitions or stages in their lives such as marriage, childbirth, or even exploring the essence of their femininity frequently attend their sessions. “We help to create a space and gathering of women free of judgement, criticism, and shame,” says Newman. “We honour the spaces held deep within all our sisters who are looking for true friendship and the opportunity to bring themselves back to aspects of wholeness on an authentic level.”
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And the Mystic Sisters couldn’t have had a more rock-solid endorsement for their group than what they found staring back at their window in the spring of 2018 at a condo they occupied in Canmore. Staring back at them was the mountainous contours of the Three Sisters, an image that stuck with them when they launched the Mystic Sisters that fall. “We started talking about how it would be wonderful to bring the sisterhood of authentic communication, support, and fun to a greater collective,” says Venaas. There’s no argument that such a form of support transcends all distractions, from the rigours of daily life to a fleet of fire trucks at their sessions. t7x
Just off Whitemud Freeway on 119 Street. Call 780-434-3991 to book or visit snowvalley.ca for more information. Snow Valley Ski Club, Make Winter Fun!
Visit snowvalley.ca for a complete listing of lessons, programs, events and more! T7X Fall 2019 13
I THEN & NOW I
THE ROAD TO Spruce Grove Composite High
Path To H igher
Learning Tracing the evolution of Spruce Grove Composite High School BY RUDY HOWELL
14 T7Xmagazine.com
School was by no means a quick and easy one. As a growing rural community in the early 20th century, Spruce Grove found itself in need of a high school and in 1935, the one-roomed Spruce Grove Rural High School No. 17 was built along King Street. By 1949, students were being bussed to the new and much more spacious Memorial Composite High School in Stony Plain where they would stay until 1969 when the first Spruce Grove Composite High School (now École Broxton Park School) was built. Finally, in 1982, the school that we all know today as Spruce Grove Composite High School opened its doors for its first academic year, helping to alleviate the accommodation issues that had plagued the community’s education system for the past 50 years.
1980s The official grand opening of Spruce Grove Composite High school took place on Tuesday, April 27, 1982. It was a day for students and staff to explore in awe the school’s newest state of the art luxuries and amenities. Student’s found it “hard to accept” the fact that they would now have an entire lounge and separate cafeteria after previously spending their free time in the entrances and overcrowded lunchrooms of the old Composite High School. A few of the new classes included business education, science and green house, and visual communications. The school also featured a new and improved art room, music facility, library, theatre, and the following year, a micro-computer to assist with scheduling, attendance, and report cards. Unfortunately, less than a week earlier, Parkland County filed a $1,033,434 lawsuit against the school’s architect, Douglas Cardinal Architect Ltd. and builder, Stuart Olson Construction Ltd., an action that wasn’t made public until it was reported by The Spruce Grove Examiner on April 21. The suit claimed that work on the $11-million-dollar school was “incomplete,” was “done contrary to plans and specifications” and was “shoddy and defective.” It also mentioned 16 complaints including uneven floors, improper gas lines, and the entire building being lower than originally contracted.
2000s At the end of the 2000s, a movement was spreading across Alberta’s education sector with the intent of dissolving the century-old Carnegie Unit, which required students to complete a specific amount of classroom time. But the decision did not take into consideration those students who needed more time to learn and others who needed less. In 2009, Spruce Grove Composite High School, led by Principal Darlene Marcinkevics, was one of 16 provincial schools to participate in a four-year High School Flexibility Enhancement Pilot Project, which explored more flexible programs for students. Each pilot school was free to experiment and identify creative solutions that would work for their facility, and at the end of the four-year program the goal was to combine key points from each
In 2014, five years after SGCHS began the High School Flexibility Enhancement Project, now referred to as High School Redesign, the school had a 6.3 percent higher completion rate, 1.2 percent lower dropout rate, and was 3.6 percent above the average diploma acceptability. By the time Principal Marcinkevics was preparing for her retirement in 2016 after 36 years as SGCHS, the school’s completion rate was 83 percent–up from 72 percent in 2007, and its dropout rate had decreased from 4.3 percent to 2.2 percent.
site for other schools to consider. One of the experiments which proved to be beneficial at SGCHS was a 40-minute, lecture-free block incorporated into the end of each school day where students could freely choose which subjects required additional attention.
2010s In an effort to create a better relationship between the RCMP and the community, a formal agreement was made in 2011 between the Town of Stony Plain, the City of Spruce Grove, and Parkland County and Parkland School Division in order to hire a dedicated RCMP School Resource Officer (SRO). The SRO would serve the students of the Tri-Municipal Region’s two public high schools–Spruce Grove Composite High School and Memorial Composite High School–on a three-year contract. Sgt. Patricia Chornoby began her position in September of that year as a confidant and mentor, educator and counsellor, and role model and protector dedicated to providing a safe and caring learning environment in the schools by balancing prevention, intervention, education, and enforcement–in addition to fulfilling duties as a police officer.
In October 2013, the school announced a partnership with Goodwill Industries soon after the non-profit expanded its Spruce Grove donation centre into a full retail operation. The partnership has since connected SGCHS students to the community at large while raising money for their school. All funds that have been received by the school have been invested into student focused initiatives such as the school’s library café.
Today More than 1,000 students are enrolled today under the wing of new SGCHS Principal Cheryl Otto. But as Spruce Grove continues to grow, so too does the need for more educational space. In April, an Edmonton Public Schools Infrastructure report stated that a modernization of Spruce Grove Composite High School will be a top priority in the near future. EPS estimates that either the school’s capacity needs to be increased, or an entirely new high school needs to be built in the area. The Parkland School Division’s board of trustees have since approved a three-year capital plan, with the year one priority of securing a $20-25 million modernization for SGCHS. t7x T7X Fall 2019 15
I THE SEVENS I
Sweet Relief
Survive those end-of-season hassles with these creative stress busters BY MARKWELL LYON PHOTOGRAGHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN MODEL KIERAH JORGENSEN
SUMMER’S CAREFREE DAYS
are winding down, which means it’s time once again to brace for autumn—that time of year when life is at its busiest and most anxiety-inducing. As our days fill with tasks and obligations to others, it’s easy to forget about your own peace of mind. Keep calm and make yourself a priority this autumn with these fun ideas and products to manage stress. t7x
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Intimates By Gentle Fawn Ariella PJ Set $120 and Symphony Robe $98 from Pink Paire
Nature Walk Heritage Grove Park
Sweet Orange & Lavender Bath Truffles $12, Facial Steam $22 and Peppermint & Lime Body Oil $20 from Willow Nicole Cosmetics
Mandala Meditations Adult Colouring Book from Indigo Spirit $16.95
The Watered Leaf Tea Peachtastic Organic Green Tea Blend from Whimsical Vintage Creations $11.20
Sentimental Gems Self-Care Crystal Kit from Corro Collective $36 with Focus and Unwind Essential Oil Blends $17.95 each, Relax Roller $18.95 and Babassu Butter $21.95 from Pure Essentials Energy Coaching & Healing with Susanne Venaas at Soul Sense $100.00 T7XFall Fall 2019  2019  17 17 T7X
I MEET YOU THERE I
A FAST FOOD LEGACY Jack’s Drive-In has stood the test of time and taste BY RUDY HOWELL
18 T7Xmagazine.com 18 T7Xmagazine.com
In 1961, grade-school friends Jack Clarke and Larry Campbell ran into each other by chance while both honeymooning in Great Falls, Montana. The two old friends reconnected and shortly after, Campbell brought Clarke out to Spruce Grove to show him the incredible appetite people had for ice cream at a nearby corner store, where the lineup was all the way down the block. At this time, Spruce Grove was still very much a small farming community that had yet to be invaded by big fast food chains like A&W and McDonald’s. The two friends knew the time was right to open up a restaurant, and thus, Jack’s was born.
AS MUCH AS she had loved Jack’s Drive-In
growing up, current co-owner Mandy O’Donnell never really liked the French fries. So, when she and her husband, Steven Kenworthy, took over the business in 2008, one of their first orders of business was to taste-test a new, more expensive fry that stayed crispier longer. Even though they charged the same price as the original fries, within the first three months, O’ Donnell and Kenworthy had received so many complaints from customers about changing the fries that they had no choice but to comply. “Lesson learned,” laughs Kenworthy, retelling the story. “Don’t change things that are really traditional.” For those who are unaware, which is likely no one in and around Spruce Grove, Jack’s Drive-In is a 1950s-style, drive-in diner. Traveling along Parkland Highway, it’s impossible to miss the little red building with the inverted roof–a design that original owners Jack Clarke and Larry Campbell knew would catch the eye. Jack’s serves all the usual suspects like burgers, hotdogs, and of course, their famous fries. But its real specialty is ice cream. You can get anything from soft-serve cones to sundaes and milkshakes to banana splits. In fact, the whole concept of Jack’s begins with ice cream.
The land that Jack’s sits on was purchased for $700 dollars from a crushing mill that was located immediately to the east. Over the course of just three months, Clarke and Campbell erected Jack’s by themselves, and in June 1961, the grand opening was held with then Spruce Grove Mayor, John Allen Gosset, in attendance. The drive-in was an immediate hit with Spruce Grove locals. Uniformed carhops served fresh, hand-made hamburgers and home-cut fries right to customer’s car windows, and children flocked to the take-out windows on the front of the building where Jack’s now famous jumbo-sized soft serve ice cream cones were served. After the first summer of operation, Clarke parted ways with the restaurant, leaving Campbell and his wife Marcel the sole owners of the drive-in until they left the business as well in the fall of 1962. From that point until 2008, a string of three different families owned and operated Jack’s, each leaving a legacy behind, whether that was an indoor seating area, paved parking lot, or year-round service. “The owners have always been very diligent about reinvesting into it and trying to keep it going, and it’s worked,” says Kenworthy. While nearly 60 years have passed since Jack’s served its first customers, its basic menu has stayed the same. Unlike most Alberta businesses that tend to relocate over time, Jack’s continues to operate at the same spot since the start. “There’s been a consistency to the T7X Fall 2019 19
operation that has kept it going,” says Kenworthy. But Jack’s enduring success is not only due to the hard work of its owners. The residents of Spruce Grove are as much responsible. Since its humble beginnings, Jack’s has always been a meeting place for people in and outside of the community. It’s a place where first dates happen, where grandpa takes the grandkids for ice cream cones, or where families stop every summer for lunch on their way to the lake. “There’s a lot of feeling attached to Jack’s,” says Kenworthy. So much so, that when a new law office was being constructed next to the diner, worried customers were constantly calling in a panic asking if the drive-in was going to be torn down. “The locals have called it their own and have been incredibly supportive and that’s enabled it to become this sort of icon that people can depend on.” Due to the immense popularity of Jack’s, Kenworthy says that many people have contacted him and O’Donnell over the years about opening another location. But, the closest that Jack’s ever came to expanding was when it briefly took part in a local business called Sweet Street 20 T7Xmagazine.com
which intended to become a miniature shopping mall for food and drink businesses where you could buy a variety of different products including Jack’s ice creams and milkshakes. Unfortunately, after the first six months, Sweet Street lost a couple of the businesses. While Jack’s held on the longest, it too eventually parted ways with Sweet Street. “It just wasn’t taking off like we’d hoped,” explains Kenworthy. Since then, Jack’s has had more success with other ventures such as O’Donnell Farm Corn Fritters, which Kenworthy and O’Donnell started when they bought the required cooking equipment off of Jack’s
long-time corn fritter provider when it was closing up shop. As for the future of Jack’s, the drive-in currently finds itself in the middle of a downtown revitalization project. But don’t worry, O’Donnell is one of the board members overseeing the venture in order to ensure that Jack’s best interests are represented. As for the building itself, Kenworthy says keeping the diner up to standards without changing its core is what’s most important. “Keeping a 60-year-old building functioning and operating is a challenge in itself,” says Kenworthy. “But Jack’s isn’t going anywhere.” t7x
Jack’s Drive-In at a glance Location: 123 1st Avenue, Spruce Grove Specialty: Ice cream and customer service Fun fact: Since opening, Jack’s has only ever been operated by local family owners
I FOOD & GATHERINGS I
Snacking with
Class
Treat your scholarly kids with these goodies, graded A for Appetizing! RECIPES & STYLING BY SHIMA ZONNEVELD; PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN
WITH BACK TO school comes long study
sessions, late nights at the library and long lineups at the coffee shop, but hopefully not poor eating habits. Try some of these college care package ideas to keep up kids’ energy and hopefully keep them out of the coffee line!
T7X Fall 2019 21
Sprinkle Biscotti 4½ c. all purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla paste
1 c. room temperature butter
1 c. sprinkles + 1tbsp. for the top
1¾ c. white sugar
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a hand beater or a stand mixer cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract and vanilla paste and mix well. Slowly add in the dry ingredients on a low speed until just combined. Stir in the sprinkles by hand. Divide the dough into two pieces. On the parchment lined sheet, form each portion of the dough into a log. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the bake time, until golden and the top springs back when touched. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F. Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 15-20 minutes. Carefully transfer, one log at a time, to a cutting board. Slice into half-inch slices and place back on the baking sheet cut side up. Do the same with the second log. Bake each sheet for 15 minutes, flip the biscotti over and bake on the other side for 15 minutes until golden. Let the biscotti cool and package away carefully! The biscotti will keep for a few weeks in an airtight storage container or pop into the freezer for up to six months.
22 T7Xmagazine.com
A delicious mocha coffee dipper or an in between meal nosh and hey, who doesn’t smile when they see sprinkles!
Crunchy Double Chocolate Cookies ½ c. toasted old fashioned oats 2¼ c. all purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda
1 ¼c. brown sugar 2 large eggs 1½ tbsp. water ⅓ c. cacao nibs
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 c. mini-chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1 c. softened butter
1 c. milk chocolate chips
¾ c. white sugar
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Factor in the yum factor of toasted oats, the crunch of cacao nibs and plenty of chocolate and these cookies will become a fast favourite. Great for the between-class dash or a late-night study session.
Cream together the sugars and the butter until fluffy. Mix in the eggs, vanilla and water. Add in the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour until mixture is combined. Stir in the cacao nibs and the chocolate chips. Using a cookie scoop or making tablespoonfuls, drop the dough onto the baking sheets. Give the cookie sheets a light tap before popping into the oven. Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Turn the cookie tray around halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 10 minutes and place them on a cooling rack until completely cool.
Power Bites 1 c. old fashioned oats ⅔ c. shredded coconut 1 tbsp. chia seeds ¼ c. ground flax seed ¼ c. wheat germ ⅓ c. chocolate chips ⅓ c. nut & seed butter
These little nuggets are great for a pre-class pick-me-up or an after-workout protein punch during recovery.
⅓ c. cookie butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly. Form the mixture into one-inch balls and pop into a parchment lined container. These are best kept in the fridge and will keep for up to three weeks, if they last that long!
T7X Fall 2019 23
Marzipan Oat Loaf ½ c. toasted oat flour (see below) 1 ½ c. all purpose flour 1 tbsp. baking powder ½ tsp. kosher salt 2 ½ tbsp. sugar + ½ tbsp. sugar (sprinkling on top) ¼ c. toasted almonds ½ c. chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet) 6 oz. marzipan, chopped into small pieces and tossed with 1/2tbsp. of icing sugar ⅔ c. buttermilk 2 eggs, lightly whisked in a bowl ¾ c. cold butter, chopped into cubes 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a nine-by-five-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray exposed ends with cooking spray. Oat flour: Using the broil setting on the oven, toast a half-cup of old fashioned oats until golden.
The heartiness of the oat flour and the distinct almond flavour from the marzipan, this loaf will keep any student going through the day.
24 T7Xmagazine.com 24 T7Xmagazine.com
Watch the pan closely they will go quick. In a food processor, whiz up the oats until they are the texture of flour. Leave the oats in the food processor and add in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Process until this mixture is combined. Add in the butter and continue to process until the mixture has a scone-like consistency with the butter being in pea-sized balls. Pour this mixture into a large bowl, and with a spoon, stir in the buttermilk, extracts and eggs to combine. Then gently fold in the marzipan, chocolate chips and almonds. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth out and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Let the loaf cool on the cooking rack for 20 minutes in the pan. Turn out the loaf onto a cooling rack and completely cool. Delicious served warm or as an on-the-go snack at room temperature.
Cinnamon Cereal 1 batch of cinnamon cereal (see below for recipe) 1 c. toasted coconut
1 c. dried cranberries 1 c. toasted pumpkin seeds milk to serve
1 c. toasted almonds
The possibilities are endless for the add-ins and this cereal is just as delicious eaten with or without the milk.
Cinnamon Cereal 1½ c. whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. baking soda
½ c. buttermilk
1 tsp. cinnamon
⅓ c. white sugar and 1 tbsp. cinnamon (for the topping, there will be some left over, great on warm buttered toast!)
⅓ c. room temperature butter + 1tbsp. melted butter (for the topping) ⅓ c. brown sugar
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine the two different flours, baking soda and cinnamon, set aside. Using a stand mixer or hand beaters, cream the butter, brown sugar, vanilla and honey.
With excess packaging and high sugar content, why not ditch store bought cereal and try to make it at home!
Slowly add in the dry mixture, alternating with the buttermilk until both the buttermilk and the dry ingredients are incorporated. On a lightly floured surface, form the dough in two large, flat discs. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out as thin as possible, ideally a quarter-inch thick. Using a pastry cutter, cut the dough into bite-sized squares. If fanciness is what you are after, tiny cookie cutters can be used to cut the cereal shapes! Bake each sheet for nine-13 minutes until golden brown. Cool the cookies completely. Mix the cookies with the almonds, coconut, cranberries and pumpkin seeds. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Mocha Coffee This delicious blend of chocolate and caffeine is a great warm drink for that fall walk around campus. 2 tbsp. homemade hot chocolate mix (see below)
3-4 tbsp. milk 1 c. hot brewed coffee
Whisk together and keep on studying!
Homemade hot chocolate mix 2 c. cocoa
2½ c. sugar
¼ tbsp. salt
Mix well and store for up to 6 months. t7x T7X Fall 2019 25
I SPOTLIGHT I SURE SIGNS OF fall include pigskins and helmets
signalling the kick-off of the high school football season. Ditto for cheerleader pom-poms, which can not only brighten a room, but are also quite easy to make. Pretty pompoms are a poufy and whimsical way to add a personal touch to blankets, baskets, rugs, and wall hangings. They’re also a charming addition to wrapped gifts and gift bags, kids’ clothing such as the edges of scarves, tops of toques and hoodies, and backpacks. So, on the next rainy day, get the kids to help you make a big bowlful of pompoms for embellishing your home. Some might call it child labour, but we call it a great opportunity to spend quality time with your kids, teaching them some basic craft skills, and letting their imaginations run wild.
How-To: DIY Pompoms
Pom Pom
It Up
Creating your own pompoms couldn’t be easier. The basic technique is to wrap yarn around a pompom maker (more on that below), tie it off at the centre, and cut through the loops at both ends, allowing your pompom to pouf out. While there are many affordable pompom makers available for purchase, we have simply opted to use a cardboard rectangle with a slit cut down the middle (as shown). 1 Start by cutting a rectangle from a piece of cardboard —the larger the rectangle, the larger your finished pompom (we made mini pompoms for the gift shown using the tines of a fork). Then make a wide slit running half-to-three-quarters of the way down the rectangle. 2 Begin wrapping the yarn around your pompom maker, running overtop of the slit as shown. The more rounds you go, the denser your pompom will be.
Give your decor a dash of froufrou with DIY pompoms
3 Lead a length of yarn through the slit, and tie off the centre of the wrapped yarn as tightly as you can.
BY RUDY HOWELL PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING BY BRENDA LAKEMAN
5 Give your pompom a haircut and trim any uneven ends so it looks neat and tidy.
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4 Snip through the loops of yarn at each end of your pompom maker with a pair of sharp scissors. Remove the cardboard maker and fluff the pompom to form a ball.
Inspiring Ideas
Design a rug. Tie pompoms to a rug pad for a colourful carpet and fluffy feel underfoot.
Sew baubles to blankets. Adorn the edges of a blanket as an accessory that’s surprisingly chic.
Fluff up some flowers. Attach pompoms to faux floral stems and pop in a vase for a pretty bouquet that will have guests doing double-takes.
Pin the pompom on wall hangings. Attach to neutralcoloured wall hangings to transform the look. This is a fun and easy way to switch out your colour scheme each season.
Embellish a basket. Fasten pompoms to baskets for an extra playful touch. Perfect for adding pops of colour to Easter baskets.
Add pizazz to gifts. Tie to a wrapped gift, or dangle from the handles of a gift bag for a present that won’t get lost in the pile. t7x
*Special thanks to Glass Earth Inc. for the tropical foliage featured with our pompom blanket. T7X Fall 2019 27
I THE CROSSWALK I
Back To
School
SEPTEMBER'S THE MONTH to get those brains
back in gear once the school season begins. To get that grey matter warmed up, try your hand at this month's crossword. For answers, visit t7xmagazine.com
Across 7 The active class at school 9 Rewards that help pay for university
13 A Catholic elementary school
14 The school that kids ages 12-14 attend
15 A public K-9 school 16 Where young kids play during recess
18 The school that kids ages 5-11 attend 28 T7Xmagazine.com
Down
10 Number of public schools in Spruce Grove
1 The leader/boss at a school
11 You get one of these when
2 One of the three sciences
you finish high school
you can learn in high school
3 Name of regional school board
4 A community included in the Parkland school district
5 Woodhavens' school team name
6 A team sport involving a net
8 Location of St. Peter the Apostle School
9 Another language you can learn in high school
12 Scheduled daily breaks during elementary
17 A school supply you may need
19 A tool you may need for school t7x
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For more information visit: t7xmagazine.com/jobs
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