National Heritage Fair finalists frustrated by rules that end partnership
A pair of P.E.I. students is frustrated to learn that the partnership that won them the P.E.I. Heritage Fair will have to end if they want to compete nationally.
Eighth graders Keira Millar and Cierra Bridges worked together on a project about Island philanthropist Wanda Wyatt for Hernewood Intermediate School's heritage fair.
They said they were excited to win first place at their school, and again when they took a top prize at the provincial heritage fair.
"It was a big deal for us because we didn't think we could get this far but we did," said Keira.
After winning provincially, they now have an opportunity to compete against students from across Canada for the national prize.
No partners allowed
Four students will be chosen to win a trip to Ottawa based on a video entry, but Keira and Cierra were told by officials the entry can only be submitted by individual students, not teams.
Their only option would be to compete separately for the national prize, but both said they didn't want to compete against each other.
"I was frustrated because we worked so hard on it from the beginning," said Keira. "We never got told that if we made it to Ottawa that we would have to go our separate ways, so it was very frustrating that we couldn't do it together."
The girls have decided Cierra will submit the video but are disappointed that the rules will not allow them to compete as a team.
"I just wish we would have been able to do it together," Cierra said.
"It kind of makes me feel sad but I'm happy for Cierra that she still has a chance to make it in to Ottawa," Keira said.
Hoping for rules to change
Even if Cierra wins the top prize, she said she's frustrated by the process and doesn't know why partners were allowed at the school level.
"We put the same amount of work into it, and we spent hours on it, and to hear that we had to split up ... it made me really angry," she said. "If I do make it to the national one, she's not going to [get] any credit for the work that she did."
Keira's father, Randy Millar, also agrees that the process seems unfair and would like to see the rules changed.
"They were allowed to win at the school level, they were allowed to win at the provincial level, they should have a chance to win at the national level," he said.
'The end goal is not to win a trip somewhere'
Charlotte Stewart, coordinator of the P.E.I. Heritage Fair, said schools set the initial rules for student entries.
But the National Heritage Fair has its own rules, and it's optional for students to compete at this next level.
"We're looking at what students can learn about heritage," Stewart said. "The end goal is not to win a trip somewhere."
Stewart said the committee has discussed the rules around allowing partners for P.E.I. school projects and they believe working in a team can be a valuable learning experience.
Limited budget for prizes
On the Canada's History website it states that "team or partner videos will not be considered for the Young Citizens program — the video must have been produced by one candidate."
Joanna Dawson, the community engagement coordinator for Canada's History Society, a non-profit organization, said the rule about no partners on a national level is because of the cost of airfare and accommodation for each successful student.
"Because it's a trip, we can't bring any more students than the budget allows, so we'll be able to select four students," Dawson said.
"Unfortunately there's no way to split that because students have to travel with an adult."
In an email to CBC, director of programs for Canada's History Joel Ralph, said it can be disappointing for students who worked as a team, but the organization can't spend more money than it has.
"In a perfect world we would bring together 100 great students from across Canada but as a charitable non-profit organization we are limited by the amount of funding we have available from year-to-year."
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