Thanks to funding fromDecoda Literacy Solutions and the Bowen Literacy Committee's support, theYouth Curator program has expanded to offer the opportunity of being a youth curator to students at all of Bowen Island's schools for the first time.
At BICS, the program is now in its fourth year. It gives students the experience of visiting the museum and archives and becoming curators of their own exhibition, based on their research. Youth Curators select a topic inspired by Heritage B.C.'s theme of the year. This year's theme, Good Neighbours, Heritage Homes and Neighbourhoods, presented an exciting topic for the youths, many of whom have discovered stories about their grandparents, relatives, neighbourhoods and even their own houses that they are excited to share with their peers and the community. Stories include a haunted house, a grandmother who helped in the logging industry, and a relative who helped rescue ducks after an oil spill. Students have been researching Lieben,Tunstall Bay, Arbutus Point, Bluewater, the Taylor house, the Clarke house and more!
The curators have had a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes in the museum and are getting ready to create their displays which feature the true stories of local history. Drop by theBICS upper foyer to see some of what the Youth Curators have found out, and what stories and history they are excited to share with you!
This hands-on, interactive program is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Bowen Island Museums and Archives, curator Heather Joan Tam, archivist Deidre Farah, parent volunteers and Bowen Heritage who have a long standing tradition of bringing fabulous events, workshops and celebrations of our local heritage and history to the community.
The third- to fifth-graders at Island Discovery Learning Centre, led by teacher Amy Nosek, have been working with Deidre and Heather to select a historical Bowen Island photograph to research, and presenting their findings in a group in preparation for the display.
The Youth Curator Program is an opportunity for youth to celebrate B.C. Heritage Week, and to explore local history through community outreach and independent study.
The Youth Curator Program was developed and is run by the community school coordinator as a community outreach program to address the identified need of having youth learn about their community, to feel connected and to celebrate their communityand to promote an awareness of local history.
TheBICS Youth Curator exhibit will be displayed in the glass display case in time for Heritage Week, February 18 to 24, atBICS through to spring break (March 15).
Friday, February 22, is a school spirit day, sponsored by the student council in honour of Heritage week. Its theme will be 'Through the Ages' Day and students are invited dress up in a decade or time period of their choice.
