Congratulations to all Students, Award Recipients and Provincial Winners of the 22nd Strait Regional Heritage Fair
Congratulations to all students and award recipients who took part in the 22nd anniversary of the Strait Regional Heritage Fair held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Nova Scotia Community College, Strait Area Campus.
The Heritage Fair was another impressive showcase of student learning and achievement celebrating Canadian culture and heritage projects.
The Heritage Fair Awards Ceremony was held on Monday, May 25, 2026, at the SAERC Auditorium.
All students received participation certificates and ribbons as well as first and second place cash prizes at each grade level were awarded. In addition, awards were presented in the project categories of Acadian Heritage, African Canadian Heritage, Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, First Nations Heritage, Gaelic Heritage, Immigration Studies, Literacy and Veterans/Military History.
Congratulations to the following eight (8) award winners who will go on to the Provincial Heritage Fair scheduled for June 12, 2026, at St. Mary’s University in Halifax.
Showcase #1:
Amalia Girgis, Grade 4, St. Andrews Consolidated School;
Project – Mummering
Showcase #2:
Alisa Kletska, Grade 9, Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High School; Project – A Journey Through Ukrainian Culture
Showcase #3:
IIyas Laaroussi, Grade 7, Tamarac Education Centre; Project – Air Cadets
Showcase #4:
Lucas Lau, Grade 7, Richmond Education Centre/Academy; Project – LeVesconte Point
Showcase #5 and National Showcase Winner
Christena MacCalder, Grade 8, Whycocomagh Education Centre; Project – Forging the Past: Blacksmithing in Cape Breton Communities
Showcase # 6
Eva MacCalder, Grade 5, Whycocomagh Education Centre; Project – From Farms to Futures: 4H Nova Scotia
Showcase # 7 and National Showcase Winner
Chloe McDonald, Grade 9, Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High School; Project – My Ojibwe Heritage
Showcase # 8
Paru Sarath, Grade 7, Tamarac Education Centre; Project – The Halifax Citadel
In addition, Christena MacCalder and Chloe McDonald will advance to the virtual Heritage Fair National Showcase that will take place from June 10 to July 1, 2026.
1st and 2nd Place Winners by Grade
| |
Grade 4 |
Grade 5 |
Grade 6 |
Grade 7 |
Grade 8 |
Grade 9 |
| 1st Place |
Amalia Girgis, St. Andrews Consolidated School
Project: Mummering
|
Eva MacCalder, Whycocomagh Education Centre
Project: From Farms to Futures: 4-H Nova Scotia |
Elsa Meagher and Piper Breen, East Antigonish Education Centre/Academy
Project: A History of Wild Blueberries |
Lucas Lau, Richmond Education Centre/Academy
Project: Weaving the Past and Present: LeVesconte Point |
Christena MacCalder, Whycocomagh Education Centre
Project: Forging the Past: Blacksmithing in Cape Breton Communities
|
Chloe McDonald, Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High School
Project: My Ojibwe Heritage
|
| 2nd Place |
Tara Owoyomi, Antigonish Education Centre
Project: From Green White Green to Maple Leaf
|
Mya Van de Sande, St. Andrew Junior School
Project: Dutch Doors to Snowy Floors
|
Luke Gillis and John Griffiths, St. Andrew Junior School
Project: Boats: Building a Nation, Shaping a Future
|
IIyas Laaroussi, Tamarac Education Centre
Project: Air Cadets |
Madelyn Vallis and Paige Miller, Cape Breton Highlands Education Centre/Academy
Project: Currents of Conservation
|
Alisa Kletska, Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High School
Project: A Journey Through Ukrainian Culture |
Award Winners by Category
| Agriculture |
Chloe Braid, Grade 6 and Sophie McCarthy, Grade 6, St. Andrew Junior
School
Project: Peter Jackson
|
| Fisheries and Aquaculture |
Willow Pautsch, Grade 4, Felix Marchand
Education Centre
Project: Nova Scotia Whales
|
| Heritage Pride |
Will Smith, Grade 9, Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High School
Project: Residential Schools
|
| Heritage Pride |
Aillish Aillish, Grade 6
and Shreeya Choudhary, Grade 6, Tamarac Education Centre
Project: The Golden Temple
|
| Immigration Studies |
Eli Isherwood, Grade 9, Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High School
Project: How Did Settlers Start Lives in Barneys River?
|
| African Canadian Heritage |
Cruz Martins, Grade 6, St. Andrews Consolidated
School
Project: The Power of the Game: Basketball’s Impact on Preston
|
| African Canadian Heritage |
Talya Reddick, Grade 6, St. Andrew Junior School
Project: Africville
|
| Acadian Heritage |
Elliana Fennell, Grade 5, St. Andrews
Consolidated School
Project: May Bouchard
|
| First Nations Heritage |
Chloe McDonald, Grade 9, Dr. J.H. Gillis
Regional High School
Project: My Ojibwe Heritage
|
| Veterans |
Paru Sarath, Grade 7, Tamarac Education Centre
Project: The Halifax Citadel
|
| Gaelic Heritage |
Mary Campbell, Grade 4, Antigonish Education Centre
Project: Highland Dance
|
| Literacy |
Aaron McVicar, Grade 6, St. Andrews Consolidated School
Project: The Mysterious Fires of Caledonia Mills
|
The Strait Regional Centre for Education extends sincere thanks to all members of the 2026 Heritage Fair Planning Committee for their ongoing dedication to providing students with an excellent educational opportunity: Tera Dorrington, Tracy MacIsaac, Lisa DeCoste and Shelley Gillingham.
In addition, thank you to parents and guardians, school and regional staff and sponsors for their ongoing support of the event. Sincere thanks to the many judges who volunteer their time to review the outstanding student projects. This year's judges included Berkley Guthro, Dan MacDonnell, Nan Corrigan, Jesslyn Steele, Juanita Byard, Janice DeCoste, Kate Steele, Eryn Sinclair, Ursula Ryan, Sabrina Skinner, Pasquale Talbot, Josie Piulette, Barbara MacNaughton, Wanda Fougere, Theresa Dorrington, Jackie Dunn-MacIsaac, Ruthann Organ, Nathan Sparks, Angele Boudreau, Kendra Aucoin, Maeve Bennett, Marcellin Chiasson, Laurie Baccordax, Jim Cummings, Paulette Boudreau and Danette Landry.
A huge thank you to Bob MacEachern for volunteering his time to emcee the Awards Ceremony.
Note to Editors: Photo Caption
Standing Left to Right Provincial Showcase Winners: Lucas Lau, Eva MacCalder, Paru Sarath, Ilyas Laaroussi, Amalia Girgis, Alisa Kletska, Christena MacCalder and Chloe McDonald.