News Briefs: Student awards, Camosun and SFU round two, and Martime-y musings

News September 17, 2014

Student awards available

Camosun’s Education Council awards committee is looking for student activists on campus for a series of awards of up to $1,000 in value. The awards will be awarded to academically strong students who have been active in such causes as community service, African awareness, family leadership, animal rights, and more. A full list of the awards can be found at camosun.ca/about/education-council/awards/index.html. Applications are due October 20, so get applying!

Camosun Plumbing and Pipe Trades instructor John Gordon is a grad of the SFU/Camosun partnership program (photo provided).

SFU and Camosun partner in masters program

Camosun College and Simon Fraser University (SFU) are again offering the SFU Master of Education (Curriculum and Instruction) in Victoria via the college in the summer of 2015. The master’s program is intended for postsecondary educators and accepts traditional and non-traditional applicants. The two-year program is tailored around the busy schedules of its applicants and classes take place every second weekend at Camosun. Faculty representatives will be at the University of Victoria’s Graduate Student Fair on September 23 to answer questions and provide additional information. Go to sfu.ca/education/gs/degreediploma/masters/ci-ps2015.html for more information about the program. Deadline to apply is November 15.

Getting Victoria all green and stuff

An organization called the Green Teams of Canada has expanded its scope to include a new chapter in Victoria, aptly named the Greater Victoria Green Team (GVGT). The new team aims to engage people in the Capital Regional District in educational and hands-on activities that will help in restoring and conserving local ecosystems, as well as helping people connect to nature. Teams of volunteers will be organized to remove those pesky invasive plants (friggin’ blackberries and dinosaur weeds) and plant new trees and native plants. The Victoria group also plans to do shoreline cleanups, so lotsa good stuff to help out with! Go to greenteamscanada.ca for more info.

New campus app promises big things

We over here at Nexus firmly believe that apps can’t change your life, but they might make things a little easier. Enter Campusgrids, a new and completely free mobile application that promises to get students more engaged in their campuses, as well as find out about events taking place on campuses across Canada. How Camosun-specific the app is remains to be seen, but it doesn’t hurt to throw another app on your already cram-packed home screen now, does it? Go to bit.ly/campusgrids for more info or bit.ly.cgAppDL to just download that sucker.

So you wanna sing (again)? 

The Victoria Mendelssohn Choir is looking for a few experienced singers, especially tenors and basses, to join their symphonic-style classical and romantic vocal group. This choir is serious stuff, it seems, as they “strive to achieve a high standard of discipline and technical excellence,” according to a press release. If that sounds like a challenge you’re up to, email cchay@live.ca or call 250-380-0496 before September 30 to arrange an audition. Good luck, you songbird, you!

More ways to spend that childcare subsidy

The Maritime Museum of BC is offering day camps toĘsupport families during the teacher’s strike, and they’re ready to take your daily childcare subsidy for weekly camps (Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm) at a cost of $175. The camp activities are directly linked to the BC social studies and science curricula and are nautical themed, from sailing, to pirates, the gold rush, the fur trade, and much more. To book a camp, call-250-385-4222, ext. 112.

Mayne Island just got trailed

A new demonstration trail is being planned for Mayne Island to link the Southern Gulf Island’s ferry terminal to its Village Bay and Miners Bay. The island’s 2.3-kilometre trail route is being designed and planned this year with a budget of over $100,000.