Springfield hosts powwow

The Eagle Flight Singers and Dancers of London performed a pow wow ceremony at Malahide Community Place in front of Springfield Public School pupils and staff on Friday afternoon, Sept. 15 to help celebrate the record breaking Summer Reading Club (SRC) program at Springfield Library. The event was supported by donations to the library’s SRC from local businesses and organizations and the Springfield Public School Parent Council. “We had 168 children read 2,852 books over the course of the summer,” library assistant Colleen DeVos said. “We had 68 students from Springfield Public School, or 42 percent of the school’s population, participate in SRC along with other children from the local area.” The program surpassed the goal of 150 children participating in the SRC for Canada’s 150th birthday. Ms. DeVos said despite being slated for closure in 2020, Springfield Public School’s pupil enrolment is up by 23 this year to total 183. The Eagle Flight Singers and Dancers are a First Nations troupe with cultural influences from the western plains who employ an educational and informative approach to their performances.