This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.
The Ontario Mining Association and member company Noront Resources in partnership with DAREarts and Engage Learn recently held two mining movie making youth camps for high school students. The two-day camps held in Red Lake and in Thunder Bay are in support of the OMA’s high school video competition So You Think You Know Mining.
The teaching team included Lesley Hymers, OMA Environment and Education Specialist; Kaitlyn Ferris, Noront Manger Corporate Responsibility; Laura McKinnon, an art teacher from DAREarts; and, Eli Bardikoff from Engage Learn. Also, educators from the high schools involved participated.
The first mining movie making workshop was held at the Red Lake District High School. Twenty five students from a communications technology course and the specialist high skills major in mining program in Red Lake were involved. Several student teams completed shooting footage and recording voice overs for their productions, while others were able to initiate the film editing process.
The second movie making workshop was held at Confederation College in Thunder Bay and it attracted 25 students from Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute. These students were also from the specialist high skills major in mining program as well as some from a communications technology video course. Again student teams worked on video projects and arrangements were made to transfer the files on a hard drive so they could be taken back to the high school for the completion of the movies.
“We thank the dedicated teachers and administrators from these high schools and Confederation College for engaging so enthusiastically in these video camps,” said OMA President Chris Hodgson. “In past years, we have had some winners from schools in Northwestern Ontario and these sessions reinforce the So You Think You Know Mining program in this area of the province where mining is a major economic activity.”
Engage Learn provided the technology and coaching for these camps. DAREarts is a non-profit organization, which aims to empower Canadian children who are challenged by life circumstances to unlock their potential through the arts and build leadership skills.
Noront Resources is focused on developing the high-grade Eagle’s Nest nickel-copper-platinum-palladium deposit, the exploration and development of the Blackbird chromite discovery and regional exploration for additional deposits. The company holds a large land position in the Ring of Fire, an emerging multi-metals camp located in the James Bay Lowlands.
Season six of So You Think You Know Mining is well under way. It was launched on November 1, 2013. This year $40,000 in prize money is available. SYTYKM is supported by comprehensive web-based resources and a social media network that includes Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. Contest details, video upload instructions, production ideas and past winning entries are all available on the OMA website at www.oma.on.ca.
From a modest start in October 2008, the SYTYKM competition has grown to attract a large number of solid and creative entries from across the province. We look forward to receiving more exciting and imaginative video productions – including those from Red Lake and Thunder Bay students — by March 21, 2014. Good luck to all contestants. The best of class will be recognized at the Royal Ontario Museum on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at the SYTYKM awards gala. Oscar-style trophies – and cheques – await the winners.