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18 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday October 17, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Magical Races at Bronte Creek Park The Oakville Magical Races will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. This annual event is the sole fundraiser for the Oakville Magical Christmas, which provides a Christmas to children in Halton who would not otherwise have one. There is a 1 km kids' fun run with finishing medals for all the children (under 12 years), a 5 k walk/run and By Elizabeth Smurlick an 8k run. A barbecue and awards will GRADE 12, IROQUOIS RIDGE HIGH follow the races. Registration begins at SCHOOL 9:30 am. Pledge forms are available on the Running Room website at www.runningroom.com. niversity level Grade 12 course and fun are words that are rarely used in the same sentence. However, the Canadian Ecology Centre (CEC) has often found me combining these two on more than just one occasion. The CEC is in partnership with the Near North School Board. It is a unique fully integrated learning environment combined with technology, a symbiotic relationship with the forest, and the legends of the Algonquin and Nipissing people. I have now spent three summers at the CEC earning summer credit courses at the School for Experimental Education. The CEC offers a truly unique experience for high school students who are in Grades 9 to 12. There are many outdoor and interactive activities that are not commonplace at a normal high school. Credits beyond the classroom cious bunk beds, hot water showers, and even a miniature refrigerator. Not only are the cabins luxurious and the study area well equipped, but at the CEC; one may also take up the ancient art of `treasure hunting'. No, I'm not talking about pirates but rather geocaching. Using a GPS, geocashing is a search for hidden items in the environment. This combination of geography, map reading, technology and entertainment is taught by qualified instructors. You can tell they have a real passion for it too, as do all our teachers. Yet I think that if there is anything that comes close to the beauty of my memories there, it is the location. The CEC is located in Northeastern Ontario, in Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, close to North Bay and the Quebec border. This mystical place has entertaining rapids, a freezing cold waterfall, and lots of big old trees. There is an abundance of wildlife too, mostly of the smaller variety. We did however see a bear once, but the park ranger made sure to keep it away from us. I remember one summer when three twisters hit the forest and we all experienced what an emergency evacuation was like. The staff were amazing as all the students were transported to Nipissing University until the park was safe again. Don't worry. That does not happen every year. We are taught to appreciate the environment and leave nothing behind, but our footprints. Whenever my class would canoe to the waterfall, cross the rapid bridge, or build our night campfire, we all were amazed at how much nature had to offer. Despite the amazing friends I've made, the high school credits I received, and the confidence that I've developed, I managed to learn something even deeper. At the CEC I gained a deep love for the environment, and a yearning to protect it. That is something that the CEC has given to me, and it is this memory that will never be forgotten. U Yet it is not just fun and games. In a mere two weeks, we always manage to get in more than the Ministry required hours of class time. The CEC takes pride in this. It brings me great sadness to know that my days of summers spent at the CEC have now come to an end. Well, at least for its summer credit courses. Being an interactive learning environment, the CEC has so much else to offer. They have gorgeous cabins that are fully equipped with spa- CARRIERS WANTED The Oakville Beaver The Oakville Beaver is looking for newspaper carriers in your neighbour hood! Support your local carrier Join our carrier club Earn extra money and win prizes Many routes still available Call immediately for more information BERTIN STABLES Fall and Winter Lessons and Christmas Camps Now Booking · Weekday Lessons 4/$107 or $35/Lesson · Saturday at Farm 10am-3pm $40 (Children 5-12 yrs.) 905-845-9742 www.bertinstables.com (905) 827-4678www.bertinstables.com