No recognition

This was sent to Kevin Monkman, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of the Environment and copied to The Royal Gazette

May 13, 2008

Dear Mr. Monkman,

Although a significant amount of time has passed since the agricultural exhibition ("Ag Show"), I have remained so disturbed by events that transpired there, that I feel compelled to now express my concerns.

The events that were so disturbing to me involve the conduct of a competition at the Ag show in which young children were encouraged to display their creations made of vegetables or other agricultural materials. The children's creations were judged, and the winners were announced.

However, no meaningful recognition was given to the majority of the young entrants, who had clearly worked hard on their creations, but were not declared "winners".

While the fact that not everyone can be a winner may be an important life lesson, I strongly believe that more sensitivity should have been shown to these very young entrants. Moreover, the absence of any recognition to these young artists – while rewarding each young sports participant with a medal, trophy or other tangible means of recognition at the end of the sport's season – sends the wrong message. It suggests that our community values sports participation much more that participation in the arts.

I can certainly understand the benefit of acknowledging the participation of young children in sports; it encourages their further participation in sports. However, unless the community gives similar recognition to young children participating in the arts, it may well leave little question in the minds of those children that the arts are relegated to the subordinate status to sports, and not deserving of the participation and interest of the children.

I am a mother of a six-year-old son. I very much want to encourage my son to both participate in and enjoy the arts, which I believe to be essential to the development of a well-rounded individual. In order that I and other parents can succeed in instilling in our young children the value of the arts, we need the support of our community leaders.

REBECCA DUPRE

Pembroke