SASKATOON — A group of third and seventh graders from two public schools was chosen as this year’s winners of the Saskatoon Transit-organized student art contest during an announcement at the city’s Civic Operations Centre on June 23.
This year’s theme is “Active Transportation” and is open to all Grade 3 and Grade 7 students. Thirty entries from various public schools in the city were submitted with the winners coming from Ecole Alvin Buckwold School and Lakeridge School.
The trio of Ayan, Reem and Seth had the winning entry for Grade 3 while the Grade 7 team composed of Marlee, Neha, Nuala and Radinsa put their artistic skills together to claim this year’s best of show.
Saskatoon Transit acting director Tracey Davis congratulated the winners and thanked all the students who participated in the contest, the third staging and the first after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is beautiful artwork. I am excited to see it rolling about on the streets of Saskatoon. After a two-year pause due to the pandemic, we’re happy to get back to hosting this activity,” said Davis.
“We had some fantastic entries and fantastic winners. Getting our young people involved to help us create a greater sense of community is the goal of the art contest. Grades 3 and 7 were chosen as the theme correlates with their curriculums.”
The contest was in partnership with the Saskatoon Public Schools Board and Remai Modern through Learning Program co-ordinator Wendy Paterson, who selected the winners based on the artwork that reflected the theme.
Davis added that they were pleased to see that the students included all modes of transportation used in the city in their artwork, which will be displayed on the side of 10 Saskatoon Transit buses throughout this summer.
“It is such an exciting opportunity for Saskatoon Transit to partner with the elementary schools on this project. These students should feel very proud and honoured when they see their artwork driving past on the side of a bus this summer,” said Davis.
“We’re happy to see the creativity that went into the art showing all the transportation modes that exist here in Saskatoon including public transit, biking, walking, taxis, carpooling and so much more. I know, I’ve seen plenty of scooters, motorcycles and everything else that’s out there.”
Aiden McKeaugue, the Grade 3 teacher of the winning students, said she asked her class if they wanted to join explaining to them that it is not a class project and what represents the theme after receiving an email from the school division.
“I just gave them the choice if they want to join, feel free to make a team and I gave them the materials they needed. Whenever they had spare time, they get to work on it. It was the students who took initiative and they chose to do it on their own,” said McKeaugue.
Seth said they based their project on the idea of having clean skies and people using public transportation while Reem added they agreed on it and worked as a team.
Marlee, one of the four from the winning Grade 7 team, said they had a couple of ideas after each of them suggested how to interpret the theme of the contest before finally coming up with what they created for the winning piece.
“We had several ideas then we talked it over and asked the opinion of our other classmates before coming up with this version,” she said.
All students said their parents were surprised and happy that they won, and they are excited and proud to see their artwork displayed on the buses that will be going around the city this summer.
