Hard to believe the first month of the new year is already over, but here we are: it’s February! We hope you had a chance to test the waters with journaling in January; if you missed our writing prompts, you can find them here. It’s never too late to give journaling a try.

This month we celebrate Social Studies Month at SCIDES. Social Studies are an important part of the core curriculum. They encompass world history, as well as a closer look at Canada, while also considering human society, political science, philosophy, and more. A broad and very interesting field, with many opportunities to create your own learning plan. Contact us at SCIDES to find out more about individualizing your education! 

Encounters with Canada is a wonderful organization that offers youth ages 14 - 17 the opportunity to spend a week in our nation's capital. With different themes like Arts & Culture, Communication & Social Media, and Youth & Democracy, the week in Ottawa is an unforgettable trip for those who participate. Several of our students have taken the opportunity to go (SCIDES offers up to $600 towards the trip - ask Mrs. Eves for all the details); and this month we asked one of the recent attendees to tell you about his experience. 

Last month was Art Month at SCIDES, and one of the things we talked about in our blog was Aboriginal Art in British Columbia. Aboriginal Art has been around in BC for thousands of years. We are very lucky to live in a province with such rich aboriginal culture and heritage, which is often reflected in the art created by First Nations artists. But of course there is much more to aboriginal culture than arts. This month, we want to celebrate aboriginal education and highlight the programs we offer, as well as the much needed progress that has been made in incorporating the aboriginal voice into our curriculum. 

January was Reading Month at SCIDES and we hope you had a chance to check out some (or all!) of the resources we mentioned in our last blog post. This month, it's not only a new semester for most secondary students, but we're also diving head first into an exciting topic: history. History does not have to be ancient, and certainly not boring! It's being made every day and both our shared current and past experiences bind us together. They are stories worth learning and sharing! Here's what we want to share with you this month: