Wrestler Returns to Blackville School

Wrestler Devin Chittick with Blackville High School students

The wrestler Devin Chittick, also known as Forest Cullen in the wrestling world, visited Blackville School on Friday, April 22.

Chittick was at the school to speak to the middle and high school students about bullying and the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Chittick's visit was a follow up from when he spoke to the middle school students last October.

For more photos from the event, click here.

Article by Abby Hennessy
Photos by Jules Keenan

Elementary Students Celebrate Literacy Day with Timberwolves

Three hockey players from the Miramichi Timberwolves were at Blackville School during Family Literacy Day on Wednesday, January 27.

The Timberwolves went to every elementary classroom, where they read, signed autographs and answered questions. At lunch, the Timberwolves joined the students in the cafeteria and afterwards they went outside with the students
to play ball hockey.

The elementary students wore hockey jerseys to school to celebrate the event. The visiting hockey players were Riley Scott (24), Tucker White (5) and Bobby Dugan III (1).

To view more photos from the visit, click here.

Photos by Ms. Twila Sturgeon
Article by Abby Hennessy

Local Author Visits School

Local author Valerie Sherrard reads to
 elementary students at Blackville School 

Local author Valerie Sherrard visited Blackville School on Thursday, January 28.

Elementary students met in the library where she read a few of her books and answered some interesting questions from the students. The students were very excited about her visit.

Prior to her visit, the students had the opportunity to read some of her books that are in the school library and they were able to order some of her books in advance.

Before leaving, she signed books and donated a book to the school. For more photos from the visit, click here.  You can also check out more information on Valerie Sherrard, by clicking here.

Article by Abby Hennessy
Photos by Jules Keenan

Wrestler Speaks to Students at Blackville School

(L-R) Blackville students Macaully Gillespie, Jaden Vickers,
Tessa Coughlan and Wrestler Devin Chittick.

Wrestler Devin Chittick visited Blackville School on October 2 to speak to elementary and middle students about the negative effects of bullying and also about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Chittick told the students he was adopted at 6 months old because his birth mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease and couldn't take care of him.

His passion in life was wrestling. Chittick wanted to go to wrestling school as a child, but his family couldn't afford it.

When he turned 12 he started getting bullied a lot and the other kids would wrap him up in a towel, throw him on the ground and kick him. When he got into his later teens he turned to alcohol due to the stress of being bullied everyday.

Aside from speaking to students about bullying and the dangers of drugs and alcohol, he is a promoter of Maritime Stars of Wrestling (Mainstream Wrestling Entertainment). For more photos from the event, click here.

Article by: Amelia Underhill and DeAnna Donovan.

Photos by: Jules Keenan and Wyatt Vickers.

Professional Hockey Player Visits Blackville School

Jake Allen, Professional Goaltender for the St. Louis Blues NHL), visited the Blackville School on Friday, May 22. Allen had taken the time out of his fishing vacation to sign autographs for every student (grades 3-12) in the school.

Grade 11 Blackville Student and St. Louis Blues Fan Marc
Munn with Professional Goaltender Jake Allen

Photographs were provided for all students and Allen signed nearly 400 pictures. 

Allen is originally from Fredericton and spends his off-season there. 

Allen's father, Kurt, is a member of the New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association (NBIAA) Executive Committee with Blackville School Principal Mr. Buggie. 

He arranged his son's visit as a favour for Mr. Buggie. 

For more photos of Allen's visit, click here.  

Photos by Jules Keenan

Drinking and Driving Victim Shares Emotional Story

Grade 12 students Ashley Vickers (l)
and Moranda Frenette (r)  with Guest
Speaker Charline Manuel

Charline Manuel of Baie-Sainte-Anne was a guest speaker at Blackville School on April 28. Manuel spoke to the high school students about her traumatic experience that resulted from drinking and driving.

Manuel told the students that in 2002 she was hit and then dragged by a drunk driver's truck while out walking one evening.

She showed pictures of the injuries she sustained, and she explained how she went through 31 surgeries and the recovery process. She told the students that she still has constant pain as a result of the injuries, but she is grateful to be alive.

Manuel told the students she hoped her story will make them think twice and that they will never drink and drive.

Students try out the Vision Impairment
Goggles to experience how alcohol
affects vision and eye coordination.

As Manuel shared her story with the students, they were very quiet and attentive. Many students commented that they found Manuel's story very powerful and emotional.

Manuel speaks to many different groups and schools and has made it her mission to share her story with as many young people as she can.

She was recognized by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) in 2010 when she received their John G. BatesVolunteer Award.

by Riley Sherrard

Photos by Jules Keenan

Winter Carnival Activities at Blackville School

Student Council Executive members Ashlyn Moody and Brook
Underhill with members of the Timberwolves Hockey Team who
visited the school on Wednesday, February 18.
                                                            (Photo by Jules Keenan)

Despite the stormy weather, this past week was a busy one at Blackville School. The elementary students and guests enjoyed a pancake breakfast on Wednesday morning and then were visited by the members of the Miramichi Timberwolves Hockey Team.

Both the high school and middle school students had Much Music dances on Wednesday evening. The high school students engaged in different winter carnival activities at noon hour this week.

Theme days were also held during the week including: Hick Wednesday, Throw Back Thursday, and PJs Friday.

To see photos from some of the different activities, click here.

Dating Violence Presentation

Family Violence Outreach Coordinator Patty Michaud and Youth Care Worker students from NBCC Miramichi came to speak to high school students about Dating Violence on Wednesday November 13. They first showed a short slide show about dating violence and then they broke off into focus groups to ask questions and talk about dating violence.

From left to right: Michael Waugh, Alex Hallihan,
Larissa Bryenton, Moranda Frennette, Patty Michaud
 and NBCC Students from the Youth Care program

Shannon MacLeod visits the Journalism 120 Class

Shannon MacLeod came to visit the Journalism 120 class Tuesday, October 28. She is a journalist and photographer from the Miramichi Leader and came to mainly talk about criminal and court reporting. 

Left to right: Leah Hennessy, Graham Manderville, Shannon MacLeod,
Ashley Vickers, Brody Nash and Mariah Hallihan 

Andy Thibodeau Presentation

Guest speaker Andy Thibodeau (top far right corner) with the Middle School WEB,
High School Boomerang and High School Student Council. 

Middle and High School students at Blackville School had a guest speaker on Wednesday, October 22. Andy Thibodeau is a motivational speaker and very comical. Both the students and teachers enjoyed his presentation that focused on being active caring members of the community and the importance of school involvement and spirit.

To see more photos from the Andy Thibodeau presentation today, click here!

Andy's Contact Information:

London, Canada

andypresentations.com

Facebook: Andy Thibodeau, Impact Speaker

youtube.com/andyspeaks

Photo taken by Riley Sherrard and Justin Donahue

Helicopter lands at Blackville School

 (l-r) R.J. Furlong, Gary Vautour and Breanna Curtis

Kindergarten to grade five students at Blackville School were visited by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Tuesday, May 13.

The students watched the landing of a police helicopter, and they got to meet a trained police dog.


(Photos by Melanie Sobey)

Budget Time

Grade 11 students Whitney Tucker and Riley Curtis
 with Credit Counselling Service Representative Louis Bourque

Grade 12 students from Blackville School had the opportunity to get some pointers on budgets and credit advice. Before the March Break, Louis Burke of Credit Counselling Services of Atlantic Canada, spoke to the students about credit, interest and budgets. For more information on Credit Counselling Services, click here.

New Brunswick Authors Visit Blackville School

Peter D. Clark

Authors Valerie Sherrard and Peter D. Clark visited Blackville School over the past two weeks. Valerie Sherrard visited with students on Tuesday, November 19 and Peter D. Clark visited on Thursday, November 28.

Check out the "School's In" podcast feature below where hosts Candace Purcell and Kyla Coughlan sit down to speak with Mrs. Sherrard about her books and the writing experience.

Valerie Sherrard

Credits and Budgets

Grade 12 students Nicole Sullivan, Marissa Donohue,
Guest Speaker Tamara Kelly, Grade 11 student Candace
Purcell and Grade 12 student Josie Coulter. 

Grade 12 and some grade 11 students from Blackville School had the opportunity to get some pointers on budgets and credit advice. Tamara Kelly, Director Of Education for Credit Counselling Services of Atlantic Canada, spoke to the students about credit, interest and budgets. For more information on Credit Counselling Services, click here.

Blackville School a 2013 Future Generation Tech Lab Winner

Future Shop representatives Mark Guy and Josh Quigley
with Superintendent Nancy Boucher
and Blackville  High School students 

Blackville School was recently selected as one of twelve schools across Canada to receive funds in the 2013 Future Generation Tech Lab program.

Sponsored by Future Shop, Blackville School received $15, 000 which will allow the school to purchase more equipment that can be used for podcasting, video production, online publishing, photography, interviewing and writing.

The equipment will be used mainly for Journalism 120 and Media Studies 120, but will also be available for students to use in other courses when the technology is required to complete assignments.

The equipment that will be purchased includes updated computers, software and digital cameras.

On Monday, March 11, representatives from Future Shop along with Anglophone North District Superintendent Nancy Boucher were present at the school for the cheque presentation ceremony.

For more information on Future Shop's 2013 Future Generation Tech Lab Program, click here.

Local award-winning author visits Blackville School

Blackville students Jules Keenan and Hailey Arbeau
with author Valerie Sherrard.
(Photo by Twila Sturgeon)

Award-winning author Valerie Sherrard visited Blackville School on Monday, February 25. She spoke to students from grades 6-9.

Sherrard has written many books for children and young adults, earning award recognitions in Canada and internationally.

She lives in Miramichi with her husband Brent, who is also an author.

Literacy Week

As part of Literacy Week, kindergarten to grade five students at Blackville School attended a Literacy Evening on Wednesday, January 23.

Students were invited to wear their pyjamas and bring along their favourite teddy bear. Special guests read to the students and treats were provided by the Blackville Home and School Committee.

Blackville Students Learn The Dangers of Drinking & Driving Through An Emotionally Driven Film

by Scott Coughlan

On Thursday, January 10, 2013, Blackville's middle school and high school students had the opportunity to view a film entitled "Long Week End," a forty-five minute short produced by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada.

The film was presented by Roch-Alain Poirier, who spoke to the students about the importance of making the proper decision about what to do when faced with a situation where you or someone else is attempting to drive while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

Left-Right: High school students Zach Stockless, 

Jackson Hallihan, and Moranda Frenette, 

guest speaker Roch-Alain Poirier, 

middle school students Robyn Stewart, and Laura Sturgeon

Mr. Poirier gave a short introduction and then proceeded to show the film which was projected onto a large screen in the center of the school's gymnasium.

The film itself was very emotionally driven and had put significant emphasis on the consequences of drinking and driving and the lives that are affected by those who choose to partake in this highly dangerous and destructive act.

After the film Poirier discussed what the teenagers in the film could have done differently to prevent the loss of the lives of two young people and the life-altering injuries done to another.

The final part of the film was filled with testimonies from several Canadian families who had felt, firsthand, the loss of one or more loved ones to a drinking and driving accident.  They spoke about the importance of knowing that the pain and suffering does not just end at the scene of the crash; it is something that the people around those involved will carry with them for the rest of their lives. 

Many of the students who were present for the show did confess, afterwards, to having had teared up during the video portion of the presentation.  Larissa Coughlan and Nichole Sullivan of grade twelve said that when the family spoke about their losses, it had a definite impact on them.

MADD and Roch-Alain Poirier will continue their trek across the country and Atlantic Canada in hopes of spreading their message of awareness to at-risk youths who, perhaps, need to hear and comprehend what they have to say the most.

Santa Visits Blackville School

Santa took some time out of his busy festive schedule to spread some holiday cheer at Blackville School on Friday morning, December 21.

Toes in my Nose?

Award-winning children's author Sheree Fitch was at Blackville School on Tuesday, November 27. Fitch shared her stories and poems with the elementary students.