A.B. Ellis Public School student among Canada’s top Young Citizens

A Grade 5 student from A.B. Ellis Public School in Espanola is among Canada’s top young citizens. Julia Perlin, who won the Young Citizens Award at the Sudbury Regional Heritage Fair in May, has earned the honour of competing in Canada’s History for Kids’ Young Citizens video contest.

Julia Perlin’s Heritage Fair project on the “Espanola Bridges” included a video that she created and edited. The video focuses on the 1952 Espanola bridge collapse over the Spanish River. 

Julia visited the current bridge, the Espanola Heritage site and the Espanola Public Library. She also interviewed Greg Polden, whose father Ted Polden was on the bridge when it collapsed. Julia contacted local Espanola historian Tim Gallagher, who provided photographs and newspaper articles for her research. 

“We are thrilled to have one of our own participating in a contest that honours students from across the country,” says Lynn MacDonell, Principal of A.B. Ellis Public School. “This is such a great opportunity for Julia and we are so proud of her accomplishments.” 

Canada’s History for Kids’ Young Citizens video contest is a complementary component to local Heritage Fairs. The contest brings together 200 candidates ages 10 to 16, from all provinces and territories, who share a passion for history and are great leaders in their schools and communities. 

Participants submit a video on their Heritage Fair topic, similar to a news report or short documentary. Canadians are asked to vote for their favourite video. Voting, which began on June 17th, will account for 50 per cent of a contestants’ overall final score.

“We wish Julia Perlin the best of luck in the video contest,” says Principal MacDonell. “We encourage members of the community to vote. More importantly, we invite everyone to go online and see this wonderful video that showcases an important part of Espanola’s history.”

Once online voting is complete, a panel of judges will select six recipients to attend the Governor General’s History Awards in Ottawa this fall. The students who are selected will have their video premiered at the National History Forum. 

Voting closes Friday, July 11, 2014. To vote, visit www.youngcitizens.ca and search for Julia Perlin in Ontario.

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Media Contact:

Lynn MacDonell, Principal, A.B. Ellis Public School

Rainbow District School Board, 705-869-1651.

Julia Perlin, a Grade 5 student at A.B. Ellis Public School, won the Young Citizens Award at the Sudbury Regional Heritage Fair and earned the honour of competing in Canada’s History for Kids’ Young Citizens video contest.