Sturgeon Heights School hosted its second-annual Bonhomme Winter Carnival on Feb. 5, and it was a fun-filled day for the elementary and junior high students.
“It’s a whole-school event, and we were fortunate again with perfect weather and a fresh coat of snow,” carnival organizer and Grade 4 teacher Shayla McRitchie said.
The recent warm weather stopped at the perfect time for the Bonhomme carnival’s activities. Kids took part in a forest scavenger hunt, snowshoeing, snow hockey, parachute games, egg-balancing relay races, and the student's favourites, playing soccer and making tire sur la neige, which is maple toffee in English.
The carnival also had an indoor activity for the kids to go inside and warm up by learning traditional Métis line dances and some French phrases.
"We got to have the maple syrup stuff, and it [was] really good. I dropped mine in the snow,” fourth grader Brielle Zureski said. “My favourite part was probably soccer, because I got to be in goal.”
Carnival organizers Shayla McRitchie and Lauren Rutherford started this school festival to celebrate being outside together, promote diversity and the Francophone culture, and for the kids to have a fun day outside the classroom by spending time with their buddy classes.
And the success of the first carnival made the kids look forward to the second one even more.
Eighth-grader Lexi Gawreluck said what she was looking forward to about the carnival was going outside as, “it’s better than being cooped up inside, [getting] to go out for the day, [playing] in the snow, and [being] with [her] friends.”
Gawreluck also said she enjoys seeing and spending time with her “tiny and cute” buddies in kindergarten and the frozen maple syrup station because she thought she would not have a chance to try it.
"I've only heard of [tire sur la neige] being done in Quebec, and I didn't know you could do it here.”
Fourth grader Julia Ball talked about how "lots of the [carnival's] activities are really fun" and that her favourite activity was soccer. Ball looked forward to meeting with friends, playing activities and "[doing] fun stuff" outside the classroom.
"It's really fun, and lots of people enjoy it."
With a smile, McRitchie said her favourite thing about this carnival is seeing the kids outside, “having fun, laughing, being excited to come, [and] having the mascot running around and hugging the kids.”
McRitchie and Rutherford created the event to allow the kids to engage with the French culture and be together because seeing the entire school body together is rare.
“[The kids] don’t ever spend big amounts of time like this. So, it’s actually a really great leadership opportunity for the older kids,” organizer McRitchie said.
Both organizers expressed their gratitude towards the community for all the support they have received to make the Bonhomme carnival possible and to Mother Nature for the perfect winter day.
“We really appreciate the support from the community, the parents, teachers and kids. It helps make all of it successful,” McRitchie said. “And the weather’s been on our side for the last two years. We’ve been really lucky.”
