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Wednesday, ieptemoer id, ivvv 1 Hb OAKV ILLt bfcAVbK 01 Focus OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE OAKVILLE WATERFRONT FESTIVAL Oakville Beaver Focus Editor: WILMA BLOKHUIS 845-3824 (Extension 250) Fax: 337-5567 Last spring, Gord Phippen o f Dearcroft Montessori School took eight senior stu­ dents, Kate Mackinnon, Katrina Chase, Robert Mackay, William Cheng, Christopher McDonald, Paul Fritze, Tyler Sgro, and Simon Borjeson, to Newfoundland as part o f Expedition Education. An account o f their adventure follows: By Gord Phippen SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER As our regional flight crossed the silvery waters of the Cabot Strait, we strained our eyes for the first view of land on the distant horizon. Arriving in Newfoundland by air amidst the incessant drone of our turbo­ prop's engines seemed almost too easy con­ sidering the hardships endured by her first explorers. Many know of John Cabot's bold voyage of 1497 or of the exploits of seafar­ ing Viking, Leif the Lucky (son of Eric the Red), a millennium ago. In fact, the island's history of human habitation dates to much earlier times. During a warmer period fol­ lowing the retreat of the last Ice Age, ances­ tors of Canada's modem day Inuit first set foot on Newfoundland's verdant shores. With nearly a decade having passed since my last visit to Canada's eastern most province I wondered how my students would react to discovering the wonders of a landscape little changed since the arrival of humankind. Having spent the last four springs exploring Canada in motorhome trips with my students, I've been over­ whelmed by the magical qualities of our country's natural spaces, from Cape Breton's beautiful Cabot Trail to the sight of vast flocks of snow geese in flight above the golden morning light of the St. Lawrence River and Beluga whales cavorting near Tadousac, to the endless wheat fields of Saskatchewan and the majesty of the tower­ ing Rockies and stunning seascapes of Vancouver Island's Pacific shores. (See 'The Rock' page B4) I YOUR TORONTO AREA MAZDA DEALERS^ A N N O U N C E GOOD SELECTION OF 1999's AVAILABLE AT CLEARANCE PRIC! •Cruise •P/heated side mirrors •P/door locks *P/windows •Overhead console • V6 • 7 passenger • AM/FM, C D player • Air conditioning • Tumbleunder™ 3rd row seat. • Side b y slide™ 2nd row seat. G et in. Be m oved. Enjoying the sights, tastes and culture of Newfoundland are, TOP, the whole group including Gord Phippen and chaperone Tony Sgro at The Arches along the Viking Trail; ABOVE, Christopher McDonald with a little fish he caught at Woody Island; RIGHT, Simon Borjeson posing as a Viking; ABOVE LEFT, chaperone Glenn McDonald at Gros Morne National Park; and BELOW, Kate Mackinnon and Katrina Chase wearing rain hats. Photos by Gord Phippen (Or, as we like to call it, our "No-matter-what-kind-of- telecommunication-needs-you-will-just-about-ever-have-in-your- entire-lifetime-we-can-now-take-care-of-under-one-roof" store.) SAVE! Digital DATA to GOn Anything you can do at your desk you can now do anywhere! •Check and reply to e-mail •Send and receive Faxes •Browse the Internet Vista™ 350 Hands-free Speakerphone NOKIA 6185 Tri-mode • Supports text messaging and Digital DATA to Go (sold separately) Dual-bend CDMA cSgital handset allows M l Mobility Digital PCS customers access to all the latest dlgta l features S A VE Bab' Express Vu* Sets Hits TV! • Fast, easy way to manage calls and take advantage of Free interactive services such as Telephone -- Banking and the new Electronic Phonebook • Compatible with Call Display and Visual Call Waiting services • As low as $8.60 per month for 24 months NEW! E-M A IL NO TIFICATION Back to School Bell Mobility Pagers Save up to 60% on D lfita l and Analog Cellu lar Accessories! r *Some Term and Cortdtftoni Appty While Suppfcts Las! bottled Time Offer See Stores for Det.nK Ptkmq subject lo change Not comb>nable enfh any other oHer All Dtgriaf PCS and Analog cellular phone; must be activated on the 8e'l Mnb&ty Network on Peal Time 29 or greater Bell World is a trademark A Bed Canada used jr-fc ' licence Bell World Winston Gate Shopping Centre, Winston Churchill at Dundas (905) 866-2220 Oakville Place, Oakville (906) 816-9200 Jackson Square, Hamilton (906) 623-7610 Ancaster Meadowlands Power Centre, 821 Golf Links Rd., Ancaster (906) 304-6611 OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE OAKVILLE WATERFRONT FESTIVAL GOOD SELECTION OF 1999's AVAILABLE AT CLEARANCE PRIC! • V6 • 7 passenger • AM/FM, CD player • Air conditioning • Tumbleunder™ 3rd row seat. • Side by slide™ 2nd row seat. Get in. Be moved. SAVE! Vista™ 350 Hands-free Speakerphone • As low as $8.60 per month for 24 months Save up to 60% Bell World