Imagine 500 young, Canadian honour students  skilled in over 40 different trades and technologies competing under the same roof.  This was only possible at BC Place where the 19th Skills Canada National Competition was hosted over the weekend.

Walking the exhibition aisles, you could witness a hair style transformation (hairstyling), robot completion (robotics), students filming and animating (TV & Video Production and 3D Animation), electricians wiring walls (electrical installation), a meal being prepared by chefs (Cooking & Baking), a car being repaired (Automotive Service), a fridge being installed (Refrigeration and Air Conditioning), clothing being designed (Fashion Design), a wall being built (Brick Masonry), and much more!  All performed by the very best in the country!

It was a weekend to recognize young, talented students that represent the future of skilled trades in Canada and inspire future generations to explore new opportunities in these exciting and promising careers.

The young ones explored their skills, possibly for the first time, at the Try-A-Trade interactive booths when using a hammer to build a bird house (Carpentry), planting (Landscape and Gardening), designing metal bracelets (Welding). The event was an eye opener for many attendees in terms of endless possibilities in the current job market. In fact over a million skilled trade workers will be needed in Canada by the year 2020.

West Coast Families Magazine, together with thousands of students of all ages, was there to learn first-hand from each of the disciplines and to realize that there are many options out there when choosing a career.

Surrey’s Doors Open is a FREE family event happening on June 22nd from 11am to 4pm. It is a perfect opportunity to discover what is behind every door.

Surrey is a big city and the organizers don’t want you to miss any site. To ensure this, you can board the free hop-on, hop-off trolley that will connect Surrey City Centre, Newton and Bear Creek areas – that is a family fun activity on its own!

There is something for everyone. From the historic St. Mary’s Church, to the iconic Round-up Café, a guided tour to the Guru Nanak Temple and many other interesting places. Doors Open guides, a site list, and map can be downloaded at www.surrey.ca/doorsopen

West Coast Families Magazine was invited to learn more about this event by taking a pre-tour of two of the participant sites.
 We first visited the Newton Cultural Centre, where a warm welcome by the friendly staff was followed by a tour of their facilities. We had the opportunity to appreciate the art gallery displaying “In Dreams and In Love”; met talented local artist Bob McMurray, who is organizing the Plain Air Challenge at Bear Creek Park as part of the Open Doors activities; and learned interesting facts about the centre, such as it was previously a fire hall which is the reason why their theater door opens to busy 72nd street.

Our second stop was the guided tour of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Temple. We learned that one of their main focuses is on meditation, but it is difficult to reach a peaceful and relaxed state on an empty stomach, so we were first invited to their community kitchen to enjoy a traditional Indian meal. Afterwards, we joined them in the sanctuary hall to experience the culture and beliefs.

Those are only 2 of the 28 sites that you and your family can visit on June 22nd. Make sure you have it marked in your calendar!

Monica Gonzales, WestCoast Families

Step 1: Decide what you would like your child to get out of the camp
Are you sending them to develop new skills, make new friends, to just have fun, or to expose them to a new activity?  This will help you narrow down what camps fit your criteria

Step 2: Would you prefer a day camp or an overnight camp
Day camps can be a great starting point for kids to cope with temporary separation.  This type of camp works well for very young kids.  For older children, consider overnight camps to build confidence through independence.

Step 3: Attend Camp Expo’s, Open Houses and talk to others who have sent their kids to camps
Shows allow you to become an informed decision maker and in a very time efficient manner as you meet dozens of camp directors all at one time. 

There is a FREE expo happening this Sunday June 2nd, 2013 in Vancouver.
For more information go to: www.kidssumercampexpo.com

Prat Gill, Kids Summer Camp Expo

1. Skip all-in-one lunch products: Convenience lunches (like Lunchables) may include sugar in breads, dressings, and drinks, as well as the dessert. Pack a sandwich using dinner leftovers instead.
2. Avoid “kids” yogurt and yogurt drinks: Fruit-flavored yogurt marketed to kids may contain sugar or sweeteners but no real fruit. Pack a small grown-up-style yogurt instead
3. Skip the fruit chews: Fruit chews and roll-ups are more candy than fruit. Make your own fruit leather or pack fresh, dried, or canned in juice) fruit instead
4. Check the granola bar: Some granola bars feature whole grains and plenty of fiber, but others are essentially candy bars masquerading as health food. Check the label
5. Skip the soda – and the fruit “drink”: Drinks are a huge source of sugar. Pack low-fat milk, water, or 100% fruit juice (not fruit “drink,” which is packed with sugar and has little real juice).
   

Thanks to Vancouver dietitian Gloria Tsang, founder of nutrition network HealthCastle.com for these great tips!

Buddings was chosen by the Vancity Make Good Money Program to be the Business of Impact for 2013 for being the most flexible, environmentally-conscious daycare available in Vancouver.  Watch the video

www.buddings.ca

You can bring the family down to the 11th annual EAT! Vancouver Food and Cooking Festival at BC Place Stadium on May 24-26 to sample, shop, and rub shoulders with your favourite stars from Food Network Canada. This year’s festival welcomes Spice Goddess and mother Bal Arneson, baker extraordinaire Anna Olson of Bake with Anna Olson, Chuck Hughes of Chuck’s Week Off, and Executive Chef Cactus Club Restaurants, Chef Rob Feenie, all on the Food Network Celebrity Stage.

For the kids in everyone, Regal Confections will be presenting fun contests on the International Culinary Stage on May 25 and 26 to see who can hold an enormous bubble for five seconds, build the most original structure with candy blox, and count the number of licks it takes to get to the centre of a Tootsie Pop. Winners will receive prizes, but you can always visit the Regal Kidz Kandy Korner where PEZ, Ring Pop Gummies, Rockets, Tootsie Roll, Tootsie Pop, and Dubble Bubble will be available. If you’re lucky, you might spot the Regal candy girls who will be handing out sweet treats!

Also on the International Culinary Stage, the SuperChefs Cookery for Kids will teach younger kids the importance of healthy eating. Along with local restaurant chefs, children can learn concepts like Marvelous Meatballs and Tasty Indigenous Treats, It Hasta Be Pasta – Traditional Pasta Making for Families, The Art of Sliders and Creative Crepes, and Making Old-World Handcrafted Gelato for Kids.

Finally, EAT! Vancouver has responded to the demand from 2012 for more gluten-free products. Find out more about this year’s gluten-free exhibitors HERE

Tickets are $16 for adults ($14 online), $14 for seniors, $9 for youth 13-16, and free for kids 12 & under. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.eat-vancouver.com

Being welcomed by enormous stilt walkers, delighted by circus aerial dancers hanging from the high ceilings, enlightened by a speech by Keith Pattinson, author of What Every Kid Needs and Money Can’t Buy, and entertained by a well-produced fashion show were some of the many surprises encountered at the Under the Big Top 35th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser event for the Marpole Oakridge Family Centre. It was great to see how the community got together to help support this great organization for all the amazing things they have done for families in our community! And of course in a celebration like this a huge cake was a most!

For more information on the Marpole Oakridge Family Place and their programs, CLICK HERE

Over 200 local young-students performed the Music Monday song I.S.S (Is Somebody Singing) directed by Maestro Bramwell Tovey of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and written by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield who join the fun and played his guitar all the way from the International Space Station!

It was an amazing experience to witness how music met science and technology when putting together a simultaneous musical performance by 600,000 of young musicians from all around Canada to space and back.

This event brings attention to the importance of music education, as Maestro Bramwell Tovey said, “Music is a universal-expressive language that we all should be fluent to be able to express what is inside ourselves. Music brakes down anger and aggression, music makes peace and harmony and those are good enough reason to make music part of everybody’s fundamental education and preserve music programs in our schools”.

Science World also believes in the importance of music in education. With that in mind, they are pleased to announce a complete, immersive musical experience (AMPED) opening October 2013. Get ready to be inspired, interact, make your own music and have creative fun at Science World.

Canadian Space Agency Live Webcast
http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/webcast.asp

 Last Friday was a fun “date night” for my daughter and I at Girlz Rock Boutique.  She is 10 years old which makes her the perfect age to take in the self image presentation, learning to make lip gloss, the manicure and of course the clothes shopping! (super cute clothes). The food was great and the owners were so helpful and nice.  It was a fun night. Huge thank you to Girlz Rock Boutique!

The girls were absolutely blown away by the amazing clothes at Girlz Rock Boutique.  To see for yourself, head to their store at:
2652 Arbutus Street, Vancouver. 604-742-1335
Twitter: @ShopGirlzRock

Four teams will also receive $500 in prize money for their schools as winners of the Viewer’s Choice Awards. Over 4,500 votes were cast by students, teachers, parents and other community members.

All 132 projects entered this year, as well as over 500 past projects can be viewed at bcgreengames.ca. Participants are encouraged to celebrate their projects on or before Earth Day in their own communities. Science World will host participants from across Metro Vancouver at TELUS World of Science during the first week of Science World’s “Green Month,” April 18–May 17.

Science World manages BC Green Games with input from youth, government, school district, university, science and environmental education community partners. Presenting sponsors are BC Hydro and FortisBC.

Elementary Winners:

• Chalo School, Fort Nelson
• Chartwell Elementary, West Vancouver
• Daniel Woodward Elementary, Richmond
• Dogwood Elementary, Surrey
• General Currie Elementary, Richmond
• Huband Park Elementary, Comox Valley
• Pender Islands Elem-Secondary, Gulf Islands
• Royal Oak Middle School, Saanich
• Sardis Elementary, Chilliwack
• Spring Creek Community School, Howe Sound

Secondary Winners:

• Brocklehurst Middle School, Kamloops-Thompson
• Carson Graham Secondary, North Vancouver
• Dover Bay Secondary, Nanaimo-Ladysmith
• Highland Secondary, Comox Valley
• New Westminster Secondary, New Westminster
• Pleasant Valley Secondary, North Okanagan Shuswap
• Reynolds Secondary, Greater Victoria
• Richmond Secondary, Richmond
• Spring Valley Middle School, Central Okanagan
• Wellington Secondary, Nanaimo

Elementary Energy Prize Co-winners:

• Dogwood Elementary, Surrey
• Erma Stephenson Elementary, Surrey

Secondary Energy Prize:

• Chemainus Secondary, Cowichan Valley

Elementary Viewer’s Choice:

• KLO Middle School Eco Club, Central Okanagan
• Eagle View Elementary Electric Circus, Vancouver Island North

Secondary Viewer’s Choice:

• Highland Secondary Eco Team, Comox Valley
• Churchill Secondary Youth4Tap, Vancouver

Elementary Honourable Mentions:

• Bamfield Community School, Alberni
• Henry Anderson Elementary, Richmond
• Ecole des Sept-Sommets, Conseil scolaire francophone

Secondary Honourable Mentions:

• Mount Sentinel, Kootenay Lake
• Lucerne Elementary-Secondary, Arrow Lakes
• Rockridge Secondary, West Vancouver
• Reynolds Secondary, Greater Victoria