YMCA Exhange Trip

Group picture with students from Westcliffe and St. Mary's in front of the school.

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15 grade 9-12 students and two teachers from Westcliffe Composite School are participating in a YMCA Exchange with St. Mary’s Secondary School in Toronto. The first half of the exchange saw St. Mary’s travel to Marengo from Monday May 23rd-Friday May 27th. Westcliffe student’s responsibility for this portion of the exchange was to show the 18 St. Mary’s Secondary students what life in rural Saskatchewan is like. To do this, Westcliffe provided a number of opportunities.

               On Monday, the St. Mary’s Secondary students were welcomed into the school and met their “twin” for the first time. After having a lunch consisting of cold cuts, cheese, fruit and buns, the two groups participated in a few icebreaker activities to get familiar with each other, then it was off to the Westcliffe student’s home to begin adjusting to life in Saskatchewan.

               Tuesday began with all students meeting at Westcliffe Composite School, then it was off to a morning of bowling and pizza at Kindersley Bowling Alley, then an afternoon spent touring the Smiley Hutterite Colony and a walk about at the Smiley Stone Wall. All participants then returned to Westcliffe Composite School to prepare for and host a family fun night for the school community. Each participant was fulfilling a requirement set out by the YMCA, volunteering in the community. Activities included a bouncy castle obstacle course, cookie decorating, face painting, a snowball fight, a hockey shootout, a fishpond, plinko, cow milking, a canteen and the most popular activity the dunk tank. All money raised is being donated to the Marengo Community Club.

               Wednesday saw the group travel to Drumheller to check out the Tyrell Museum and then return to the Wildman farm for a BBQ supper and activities such as bunnock, soccer, golf and watching the Raptor Basketball game. The group then travelled to the Ward farm to see the peacocks, ducks, geese, chickens, horses, cows and pigs.

               Thursday was another day of volunteering, helping the Beak Bank 4-H club set up for their show. Then it was off to Providence Grain in Marengo for a tour of an elevator system. Participants returned to the 4-H show for lunch and to watch the 4-H’ers show off their cattle projects and being judged. The YMCA group was acknowledged for their help during the day and were presented tokens of appreciation from the Bea Bank 4-H Club and the Saskatchewan Office for 4-H. The YMCA group took part in a BBQ supper provided by the Beak Bank 4-H club and then it was off to the Kindersley Rodeo, with tickets provided by the Kindersley Rodeo committee.

               Friday was the last day of the exchange, participants met at the school for final pictures, a review of the past 5 days, and a time to exchange autographs. Part one of the exchange has come to a close. Part two takes place from June 6-10th when the Westcliffe Composite School Students and teachers travel to Toronto, Ontario where they will take part in a Walk-a-thon, take in a Blue Jays game, go to Canada’s Wonderland, tour the Royal Ontario Museum and other activities to be determined.

Student participants include: Dallas Baker, Taylor Baker, Paige Delfrari, Tyson Elphinstone, Savanah Fischer, Colby Jeffries, Karen Kydd, Sarah Mears, Kurtis Mundt, Nicole Robbie, Christopher Sonmor, Brianna Ward, Justin Wells, Emily Wildman, Sarah Wildman and teachers Keston Luke and Karen Jeffries.

Students playing Bunnock

Group Picture in front of HooDoos near Drumheller

Both Schools in front of Marengo Sign