- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

With Elton John singing Rocket Man out across fields full of students and staff, I sat in the sun to talk with two Owen Sound District Secondary students last Friday about the "Rickety Fair".

"It's the first time we've had a school-wide afternoon of festivities since the establishment of OSDSS," said Mathea Treslan, a grade 11 French Immersion student who is on the Students' Council that organized the event. "We just wanted it to be silly and fun - something you want to enjoy and not just ditch."

There was ice cream available and a barbecue going, but the real crowds were around the activities – fair games with prizes on the tennis courts, bubble soccer and human hamster balls on the playing fields, and a petting zoo featuring goats and bunnies.

"At 9 o'clock last night the Students' Council finished filling 4500 water balloons that will likely be gone in a matter of minutes," Mathea laughed, clearly pleased with her view of the whole OSDSS community having fun together.

Hanna Meili, a grade 11 rep on the Students' Council, is completing her first full year in Owen Sound.

She waves across the fields - "We would not have had anything like this at my old school," referring to a large prestigious collegiate in Toronto. Hanna has been involved in track, soccer and tennis, and has just returned from an art and science canoe trip to Killarney. This year she is really focussing on academics as she plans to head to university after next year. "I really love this school – the teachers are so awesome and they really care about the students, as people and academically."

"We have one-on-one attention in our math class," comments Mathea, "...and there's our math teacher!" pointing to a young woman setting the ball on the beach volleyball court.

The last day of classes is June 21, and the library was open during the fair for anyone who wanted some quiet study time. Exams start June 22, and as soon as students finish their last exam, it's off to summer holidays.