Tom Henihan
Express Staff
Culture and Tourism Minister, Ricardo Miranda talked by Skype with Ecole Heritage Grade 11 and 12 students before the students leave on a humanitarian mission to Nicaragua later this month.
Minister Miranda was born in Nicaragua and moved to Canada as a young boy. The Conseil scolaire du Nord-Ouest (CSNO) asked him if he would speak with the students doing the mission. The minister was impressed with the project and keen to talk with the students.
“The purpose of the exchange between Minister Miranda and École Héritage, was to further engage our students in the missionary work they are about to do in March,” says Ecole Heritage Principal, Nicole Walisser.
In their conversation with Miranda on March 7, the students asked about the similarities and cultural differences between Canada and Nicaragua and what will be the biggest shock for them when they arrive in Nicaragua.
They also asked the minister to talk about his most precious memory of Nicaragua.
Energy Minister, Marg McCuaig-Boyd, MLA for Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley, which includes Falher, was invited as a guest to participate in the Skype conversation from Edmonton.
Those going on the mission are Grade 12 students Cloé Maisonneuve, Kayla Guérette, Alexis Brulotte, Olivier Roy, David Therriault, Nicolas Lavoie, Justine Dubrûle and David Sanchez.
The Grade 11 students are Dominic Labrecque, Celina Bouchard, Edith Sanchez, Josh Fischer, Yina Morales, Charly Thibault and Shelly Levesque
Accompanying the students are Nicole Walisser, Joël Lavoie, Carol Fischer, Diane Bourassa and Monique Lavoie.
The mission is from March 22 to March 31 and the students are currently collecting donations to build an outdoor bread oven in the community of San Benito, a small village about an hour outside of the country’s capital of Managua.
The project will cost an estimated $10, 000 of which the $8,000 has already been raised, so the students need approximately $2000 to achieve their goal.
This is the fourth humanitarian trip Ecole Heritage will make to Nicaragua and on this mission the students will physically assist the residents of San Benito with building the oven.