Students enjoy school carnival

Students enjoyed many fun activities lined up for them at Winter Carnival events at  Rotiwennakéhte Elementary School and Ratihén:te High School this week.

Planning fun events, like carnival week, regularly throughout the year helps school to be more inviting and exciting for the students, said Amber Simon, student life animator at the elementary school. She said kids routinely ask her in the hallways when the next fun activity will be.

“I think they enjoy coming here because we offer so many exciting things. At least once a month we like to do something fun with them, and then this carnival week we do twice a year,” said Simon. “They want to come, they want to go see their friends, they want to participate.”

At the Rotiwennakéhte, the older students, grades three to six, started the week with tubing while the younger ones, nursery to grade two, went to Funtropolis, an indoor amusement center.

Simon, who organized the events for the week, accompanied the students tubing. She noted they were lucky to get a sunny Winter day on the slopes.

“They love it,” said Simon. “They’re up and down all day, like they don’t take a break.”

On Tuesday, the students did science experiments throughout the day, including one with dry ice and another with a magical box which appears to make objects disappear.

“Science is so fun,” said Adaline, who is in grade two. “We get stuff that we can get to keep at home and do magic tricks.”

On Wednesday, a reptile show was cancelled at the last minute after the presenter called in sick, and Simon pivoted by planning winter activities and hot chocolate for the students in the afternoon.

The students danced to music and played outside with friends before coming in for their hot drink.

“Marshmallows are my favourite,” said Adaline.

On Thursday they had bouncy houses, said Simon, and on Friday, there will be a pyjama party and movie day. Simon will reschedule the reptile show to either sometime on Friday or after Spring break.

At Ratihén:te, students kicked off the week with pet therapy and pyjama day.

Kanatanó:ron Munoz, 15, said the Winter Carnival activities at the school give students an opportunity to have fun together.

“Some students do the dressing up, some students don’t, but it’s really entertaining when we do,” said Munoz, who dressed up for pyjama day.

“I dressed as an old lady,” said Munoz. “I had a cane, I had a long muumuu, and I had some slippers on, and I was just walking around the whole school like an old person and just having fun.”

On Tuesday, the school held Pink Shirt Day, which promotes anti-bullying efforts across schools in Canada, and had an anti-bullying presentation. Wednesday was a theme dress-up as a country or hillbilly day.

“I enjoy the theme days,” said Teiakotsistokwathe Nelson, 16, who was decked out in a Shania Twain jean jacket with fringes and a country-western hat.

“It’s fun to bring some life into it,” said Nelson.

On Thursday, the kids went tubing in St. Sauveur.

Iorahkote Sky, 16, said the planned activities give students the opportunity to have fun with a wider group than just those in their class.

“Some of my friends aren’t in the same class,” said Sky. “It’s nice to have a full day with them.”

On Friday, the high school students will have a team building, interactive event with Montreal Beyond Fun, and the theme for the day is Superheroes.

Munoz, who just joined Ratihén:te this year, is especially enjoying the field trips and Winter Carnival week.

“At my old school we didn’t have any outings,” said Munoz. “Honestly, it’s really fun that we have activities, I’m grateful.”

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Hadassah Alencar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter