LEGACY COUNCIL UNVEILS WINNING MASCOT DESIGN BY NIAGARA COLLEGE STUDENT FOR 1812 PROGRAM REACHING 30,000 STUDENTS IN NIAGARA

NIAGARA REGION, ON– The winning design for a mascot that appears in Passport Niagara: A Journey into the War of 1812, will be unveiled at Niagara College’s Welland campus on Tuesday, April 10, 2012. Students from Niagara College’s new Art & Design Foundation program were approached by the Niagara 1812 Legacy Council to assist in designing a fun character related to the War of 1812 that would be the voice in the new curriculum tool.

Passport Niagara is an initiative created by the Historic Niagara Education Committee, a collaborative partnership between all School Boards in the Niagara Region, the 1812 Legacy Council, Welland Historical Museum and expert representation from local historic community partners. Passport Niagara and the Legacy Council’s bicentennial map work together to provide students in grades 3 to 8 with an authentic learning experience to celebrate this important bicentennial both in the classroom and at the many museums and historic sites across the region. Funding for this worthwhile project has been received from the 1812 Commemoration Fund and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

“As we designed Passport Niagara – A Journey Through the War of 1812, we were looking for a symbol that would engage a broad range of students and would have a multi-media application”, says Janice Barretto-Mendonca, Junior Consultant with the Niagara Catholic District School Board and a member of the Historic Niagara Education Committee. “In creating the winning mascot, the Niagara College student bridged the significant connection between the British and Canada’s First Nations People. We are excited to unveil the design and are confident the mascot will help bring history to life for the 30,000 students across the Niagara Region,” says Barretto-Mendonca.

“We at Niagara College are honoured to participate in the 1812 project,” says Annette Hemerik, Coordinator of the Art & Design Foundation program. “This Bicentennial is an important part of history for the region and our students. It was a challenging project for the students, as the timing for the development and the design of the mascot was intense and deadline driven; however, the result has been received as extremely positive and a great experience for both the students and the Historic Niagara Education Committee,” Hemerik proclaims.

“I instinctively turned to the college to utilize the design talent that I knew was there,” says Katie Farr, Media & Communications for the 1812 Legacy Council. “The results were beyond our expectations. It’s very rewarding to see all of these educational institutions come together for a project that educates people on the War of 1812 in Niagara. Not only does it compliment our bicentennial map, but raises great awareness about the importance of Niagara’s role in the conflict that unfolded 200 years ago,” says Farr.

The winner and runners-up will receive an honorarium and gift to put towards their education resources. There will also be an announcement for a new project headed by the Legacy Council, for the honourable mention’s design.



Join us at Niagara College’s Welland Campus, 300 Woodlawn Rd., L3C 7L3, Tuesday April 10, 2012, at 1:30 p.m., 3rd floor of the Simcoe wing, in the gallery. Visitor parking is available at the main entrance, off First Avenue.

The Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council is a cross-border not-for-profit organization established to commemorate the War of 1812 and celebrate the 200 years of peace between Canada and the United States which have followed.