Earth Day: A Time to Reflect; A Time to Act

Earth Day blog image with a background of various outdoor images with text that reads "A Time to Reflect, A Time to Act".

Written by Tracey Coutts, Ever Active Schools Welcome Earth Day! “Earth Day is an annual celebration that…raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations.” (National Geographic, Education: Earth Day, 2024).  The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970; today, Earth Day is celebrated on either April 22 or…

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Have you Heard? The Ever Active Schools Podclass as a Resource to Support Inclusion and Diversity in School Communities

Podclass logo with text that reads "Resources to support inclusion and diversity in school communities".

Written by: Katie Mahon, Ever Active Schools Have you heard? Ever Active Schools launched a podcast in late 2020 called The Podclass. Intended as an educational resource, our hosts chat with professionals in health, education, inclusion and diversity, and well-being to explore connections between the three.   The first series, Conversations on School Health, is…

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The 2024 Winter Cycling Congress: What a Ride!

Written by:  Tracey Coutts and Katie Mahon, Ever Active Schools   Has this ever happened to you… You invite people to your favourite place, maybe it’s a pizza parlour, a place known for its delicious pizza but, just as your guests start to pour through the door, the parlour runs out of cheese. Like, completely.…

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YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL

A Youth Advisory Council member supporting an EAS event.

In 2023, Ever Active Schools launched its Youth Advisory Council (YAC): a group of enthusiastic youth in Alberta and Saskatchewan who provide feedback and personal opinions, engage in discussions around the work of Ever Active Schools, represent the organization at events, and co-develop projects with the staff. Members of the YAC are between the ages…

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BUILDING THE LEDUC ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION CHARTER

A group of people with bicycles stand in a circle during a consultation meeting in Leduc.

The municipality of Leduc, Alta., has laid much groundwork to make it an active living superstar. From its 85 km+ of multi-use pathways, to Telford Lake, to its Parks, Open Spaces, and Trails Master Plan – when it comes to active living, Leduc has some good bones.  It is clear that Leduc prioritizes wellness, but…

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GRANTING PERMISSION TO TRY WITH CYCLING

Written by Tracey Coutts, Ever Active Schools Watching young cyclists discover the freedom and thrill that comes with learning how to confidently navigate new neighbourhood and community routes is the equivalent of reading about C. S. Lewis’ Lucy moving deeper into the wardrobe, brushing past fur coats that transform to fir tree branches, on her…

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RECREATION FOR THE GOOD OF COMMUNITY

On a chilly spring morning in March 2023 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, a group of new Canadian children and youth gathered to play, learn and connect.  As part of Ever Active Schools’ Resettlement Through Recreation project, supported by several amazing partner organizations, this celebratory day filled the cups of everyone present – quite literally for many,…

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EVERYBODY PLAYS: LEAGUES OF PLAY

A circle of adults during a basketball coaching clinic with a rolling whiteboard in the centre.

In the 2022/2023 school year, Ever Active Schools and Canadian Tire Jumpstart entered into a multi-year partnership centered around the dream that everybody plays. Through this work, we are providing: 100% opportunity to participate so that everybody plays. Focus on priority populations so that everybody plays. Capacity building through grassroots approaches so that everybody plays.…

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TEACHING THE NEW ALBERTA K-6 CURRICULUM

Two people are playing Giants, Wizards, Elves – a game to help teach the Phys Ed and Wellness section of the Alberta K-6 Curriculum. The person on the left is posed like a wizard with fingers pointed like magic wands. The person on the right is crouched down in an elf pose using hands for elf ears.

The new Alberta K-6 curriculum has certainly been a hot topic, and we’ve heard a lot of questions about the Physical Education and Wellness (PEW) section. The biggest question: how do I teach this Alberta K-6 curriculum without losing active time with my class? Never fear: Ever Active Schools is here! We’ve compiled 8 games…

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