Contact:
May Doerksen, 778.782.8478; may_doerksen@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.9017; Marianne_Meadahl@sfu.ca

Photo on Flickr

After two hectic semesters, most first-year students would want to enjoy the lazy days of summer. But Renita Bangert, who has completed the Global Issues First-Year Learning Community (FLC) at Simon Fraser University Surrey, is keeping the momentum going.

Along with a small group of students and alumni from various Delta high schools, she helped create the Delta Arts Youth Council (DAYC), an offshoot of the Delta Arts Council. The DAYC mission is to engage and strengthen community within Delta through fine and performing arts.

“Music and theatre were a huge part of my high school experience, and with job action threatening the after-school programs at many local schools, it might become more difficult for current students to continue the level of arts involvement that I enjoyed,” says Bangert, who studied themes of global citizenship and community engagement during her first year at SFU.

“The idea of a youth arts council dawned at an open-mic night at the Firehall Centre for the Arts. It’s a wonderful way to keep arts of all kinds alive for young people despite funding cuts. The DAYC is also a fantastic opportunity to get involved in my community for a cause that I am passionate about.”

Bangert and her peers are planning for the inaugural Delta Arts Youth Festival on Sunday, June 24th, which celebrates the arts in Delta with young, local musicians, dancers, artists, filmmakers and more. It’s expected to become an annual event for the community.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at Surrey offers four different first-year experience options for students, including the Global Issues FLC. It’s designed for students interested in global problems and a possible career in literature, history, international studies or political science.

See: http://deltaartscouncil.ca/page/youth_page and www.fass.surrey.sfu.ca/flcs

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Simon Fraser University: Engaging Students. Engaging Research. Engaging Communities.