Canadian Paralympic Committee Invites Schools to Join Paralympic Spirit

With only five months to go until the opening of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, and on the occasion of Paralympic School Week, the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is encouraging teachers and students across the country to show their support for Paralympic Team Canada.

The CPC runs year-round programmes to help teachers engage students in the Paralympic Spirit. The Petro-Canada Paralympic Schools Programme provides teachers with the resources to educate students on Paralympic Sport and establish positive perceptions of people with a disability. Developed for elementary school students, paralympiceducation.ca provides student activities and lesson plans, including six specifically related to 2010:

Visual Arts: Flat Flag Postcards to send to Paralympic Athletes

Visual Arts and Language Arts, Science or P.E: Paralympic Sport Trading Cards

Science/Language Arts: Understanding Disabilities of the Paralympic Athletes at 2010

Geography/Social Studies: Mapping Paralympic Countries

Mathematics: Representing Paralympic Success

History/Geography: Paralympic Torch Relay

The Paralympic Heroes programme arranges school visits by Paralympic athletes to share their stories. These resources have been designed to give children a better understanding of Paralympic Sport and encourage children and youth with a disability to become involved in sport.

The CPC programmes are now complemented by the activity guide launched today by the Ministry of Education for the Province of British Columbia in partnership with the Canadian Paralympic Committee and VANOC to help teachers and students celebrate Pan-Canadian Paralympic School Week. British Columbia is joined by Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Yukon, and Newfoundland and Labrador in proclaiming Pan-Canadian Paralympic School Week.

"We are very proud to be partnering with VANOC, the Ministry of Education for the Province of British Columbia, and Education Ministries across Canada to celebrate Paralympic School Week," said Canadian Paralympic Committee CEO Henry Storgaard. "With Canadian athletes ready to go for gold, now is the perfect time for Canadian teachers to get children to show their support and prepare to cheer for Paralympic Team Canada 2010."