Grade 7 and 8 students at Annunciation School traded in their books and pencils for brooms and rocks this weekend.
No, they weren’t put on cleaning duty, they loaded up on a school bus and hurried down to the Prince Rupert Curling Club for a bit of ice cold fun.
The students were invited to learn the basics of curling throughout the morning workshop. Sweeping, throwing and proper positioning were all taught by members of the curling club as well teachers.
Kathy Dann was one of the instructors, she’s been curling for practically her entire life and said that curling is the perfect sport for young kids.
“I’ve curled for 40 years, you can take it to any community and make new friends anywhere,” Dann said. ” Curling can be a sport for life, you can start at seven years old and go until you’re 90.”
The trip wasn’t the schools first to the curling club, and it won’t be the last either, last years event was a big success, with a few students joining actually ending up joining the curling club.
More than just curling, today was about getting out of the classroom and enjoying what the community has to offer for both teachers and students.
“I think it’s important to get the kids out, its something that most of our kids don’t get to do, it certainly opens up a new avenue for our students.
A new way for them to experience something they don’t get all the time,” said Rose Ciotoli, one of the teachers who made the trip.
READ MORE: Rupert curling club open for 2018
Student Julia Picard didn’t consider herself a curling fan beforehand but the trip may have convinced her otherwise.
“It was fun to do a sport that you normally wouldn’t get to do,” Picard said.
Dann, a lifelong curler and educator said there are life lessons hidden in the fun of curling that students can pick up on.”
“Some of our kids there is a bit of fear of something new, it’s overcoming the unknown, if you can conquer curling, you can conquer a lot of other things, its also about learning to pick yourself up if you fall down and moving forward,” Dann said with a laugh, as students toppled on the ice beside her.
One thing is for sure, the students, Aarman Brar and Aiden Hoff were happy to get out of school and onto the ice.
“It was really fun, I had a great time,” Brar said.
“I really liked throwing the rocks, today was really fun,” Hoff said.
READ MORE: Prince Rupert Curling Club hosts 67th annual Men’s Marine Bonspiel
nick.laws@thenorthernview.com
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