ABOUT

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A Kids’ Guide to Canada is a teacher-led initiative which provides every K-8 student with an unprecedented opportunity to make a personal contribution of lasting significance and interest to Canada’s future: to help create Canada’s first multilingual, multicultural and interactive guide designed by children and for children. Classes can to meet and learn from other students across the country in a SAFE environment, and help build a new era of “intercultural understanding, empathy and mutual respect.” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Call to Action 63 iii).

This exciting grass-roots Canada 150 project is being created and lead by a passionate team of elementary educators who span the country from coast to coast to coast, including English, French, and Indigenous teachers, and project ambassadors from the different provinces and territories.

National Coordinators

The Kids’ Guide to Canada project was first conceived in Winter 2015 by Cathy Beach, a recently retired elementary teacher. Founder and national co-ordinator for the project, Cathy is a multiple award-winning educator with 43 years of experience working in the fields of outdoor, environmental, and elementary education. She founded and was the Executive Director of EarthDay 1990 for the province of Ontario, and has quietly provided years of educational leadership online and at the local and provincial levels throughout Ontario.

Helping to coordinate the project is Leigh Cassell, Co-Founder of A Kids’ Guide to Canada and a Elementary Teacher with the Avon Maitland District School Board in Ontario. Leigh is an entrepreneur and Founder and CCO at Digital Human Library which she created in 2011 to provide a way for teachers from JK-12 to connect their students with experts around the world. Leigh is an Apple Distinguished Educator, certified Google Educator, Microsoft Innovative Educator, SMART Certified Interactive Teacher (SCIT), and Co-Founder of GlobalEdSsChat and The Mentoree.