Nationwide contest awards entire class with trip to Canada’s first National Park
- Nov. 10/11
 One lucky Canadian class will win the class trip of a lifetime. Photo courtesy of Banff Lake Louise Tourism/Paul Zizka |
BANFF, AB — Parks Canada, in collaboration with Brewster Travel Canada, Air Canada, and Banff Lake Louise Tourism, announced the launch of the “Canada’s Coolest School Trip” contest today in Toronto.
A national contest created to engage students, teachers and parents across Canada in the country’s natural and cultural heritage, Canada’s Coolest School Trip, will showcase one of Canada’s most iconic destinations, Banff National Park, as the ultimate reward for an entire class of student contestants.
The contest encourages grade-eight students across Canada to recreate a significant Canadian moment related to a national park, national historic site or national marine conservation area on video and submit it for nationwide judging via Parks Canada’s “My Parks Pass” website.
“Throughout Parks Canada’s Centennial year, we have been working hard to introduce new, engaging initiatives that will help build deeper connections between young Canadians and our natural and historic heritage,” said Minister Kent. “Grade 8 and Secondary 2 students across Canada will have an amazing opportunity to win an unforgettable experience for their class: an all-expenses paid trip to Banff National Park, one of Canada’s most cherished national treasures.”
An all-expense paid, four day activity-filled trip
Video submissions for the contest will be posted to the My Parks Pass website and opened to online voting by the public in early January 2012. Finalists will go on to be judged by a panel of esteemed jury members on February 8, 2012 based on originality, content and creativity. The prize for the winning class will be an all-expense paid, four day, activity-filled trip to Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, including round-trip airfare on Air Canada and excursion on the Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure.
The entire winning class of the Canada’s Coolest School Trip contest will travel to Banff National Park at the end of May 2012.
“It’s a privilege for us to welcome students from across Canada and around the world to Banff National Park,” said Julie Canning, President & CEO of Banff Lake Louise Tourism. “As Canada’s first national park, Banff holds a very important place in the hearts and minds of all Canadians. It’s an honour for us to embrace this opportunity to impart the heritage, diversity of adventure and rich culture of Banff National Park with Canada’s youth.”
The My Parks Pass program was launched in May 2010 as a joint initiative between Parks Canada, Nature Canada and the Historica-Dominion Institute. The ongoing goal of the program is to encourage and enable Canadian youth to visit and engage with national parks and historic sites to ensure their continued protection and preservation. At the start of each school year, all grade eight classes have free access as a group to all the national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas, and at the end of the school year every grade eight student across Canada, nearly 400,000 youths, is given a My Parks Pass providing free access to these natural and historic treasures.