Blue tree
EFC Community Connections July 2020
A monthly newsletter highlighting features and events to help connect and energize the Estonian community in Canada.

In this edition:
  • School's out! Teachers in our community
  • EFC Survey: We want to hear from you!
  • Scholarship Profile: Peggy Jupe

Looking ahead - August:
  • Community Profiles
  • Meet the EFC Board
  • Updates from our Community
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
EFC is conducting an anonymous survey to help us better understand the needs and priorities of our community. We want to hear from YOU !

It will only take about 5 minutes - please help!
School's out! Teaching in the pandemic
How does it feel to suddenly teach online? 4 teachers share their stories.
What school might look like in September is still anyone's guess, but there is a lot to learn from this year. How did teachers manage the 3 Rs when classrooms suddenly went virtual?

First person stories from teachers in our own Estonian community give us a better understanding of the challenges teachers, students and families faced in making online learning work during lockdown:

Anneliis Põldre j ust completed her second year of teaching the youngest children in the system. "Online Kindergarten – two words that I don’t think will ever sound right together. Yet [it] became my new normal. With one week's notice, I created a website and did my best to adapt my program from a hands-on, play-based approach to completely digital."  Read Anneliis' story.

Alexandra Wilbiks looked out for the learning and mental health of her Grade 5 class. "Having deep life chats with students and seeing light bulbs go off in their heads are part of why I love what I do. Trying to navigate conversations online about what is happening in the world around us was tricky - and I know in class we would have been able to unpack, explore and learn together better." Read Alexandra's story.  

Tiina Paluoja is a music teacher who knows the importance of her subject. "Although music was an optional subject in the eyes of the government, through my Estonian culture I understand and appreciate the importance of music, especially in challenging times...[Though] in retrospect, I wish I had not asked 364 students to send me videos of themselves playing “Baby Shark” on household items." Read Tiina's story.  

Elli Kipper is a middle school science teacher with keen insights as thoughts turn to next year. "School is where students get the opportunity to interact with all types of people. School is seeing your friends. School is a place where students learn how to be: musicians, historians, scientists, athletes, free thinkers, writers, engineers and more. School is a place where social interactions and norms are taught and modeled. School is not teaching the curriculum, although that is important too; it is teaching life lessons and skills to equip our young people to be good humans. School is the people, not the building and definitely not just a computer screen. Whatever September might bring, we cannot forget that." Read Elli's story.
Animal Dress Up Day
Being there for Grade 5s Alexandra Wilbiks
Music always helps
Grade 7/8 Science with
EFC Short Story Contest: Sharpen your pencils!
Estonian Foundation of Canada is launching a short story contest for the whole community.

As we find ourselves without our usual routines, let's use this unique time to find some inspiration and be creative – and even write about it!

The Challenge:
Write a short fiction or non-fiction piece on any topic with a tangible connection to the Estonian-Canadian experience.

What you need to know:
Maximum 1500 words
English or Estonian 
3 age categories
Deadline: December 31, 2020

Our strength is our shared community.
When we gather together again, we will need our community more than ever.

Estonian-Canadian organizations will need financial assistance to help face new challenges. EFC funding is critical to ensure the community can thrive.
2019 EFC Scholarship Recipient
Peggy Jupe  is one of 7 exceptional Canadian-Estonian youth to be granted a 2019 EFC Scholarship. Peggy is in 3rd year at Western University studying Vocal Music and Music History with a Minor in Psychology. Her goal is to become a Music Therapist and further the management of mood disorders through choral singing. Though not active in the Estonian community growing up, she has always cherished her Estonian heritage and has visited family in Estonia when touring with her youth choir. The EFC Scholarship will help Peggy to support herself while completing her education.

On being Estonian:
 “My Estonian identity and my love of music are intimately linked. The tradition of choral music is a deep, rich [respected] part of Estonian culture. I hope to be a part of that tradition, and further its place on the world stage, and present the world with the significance that my Estonian heritage has impressed upon my music: namely its power of community, identity, and improvement. It is through the inspiring lessons of my Estonian culture that I learned the ways in which music can change lives.”

On the role of EFC:
The Estonian Foundation of Canada is of vital importance to the community… as a unifying and vocal presence for the Estonian community, the Foundation ensures the Estonian presence in [the Canadian] tapestry…[by promoting the ability of] Estonian-Canadians to unite under and share our unique and beautiful culture with our community and the rest of Canada.
Suur aitäh!

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Estonian Foundation of Canada has granted over 130 scholarships to Canadian-Estonian youth since 2003.

To fulfill our mission to support and preserve Estonian heritage in Canada, the Estonian Foundation of Canada supports projects and organizations that preserve our language, heritage and traditions. For details and funding applications, contact EFC.
The world may be paused, but our mission never stops.
The Estonian Foundation of Canada (EFC) is a registered charity supporting Estonian cultural and heritage activities across Canada. The Foundation is supported solely by donations and bequests from the community.

Eesti Sihtkapital Kanadas (ESK) on registreeritud heategevus, mis toetab Eesti kultuuripärandiga seotud tegevusi üle Kanada. ESK toetab rahaliselt programme ja ettevõtmisi annetuste ja päranduste kaudu.

Visit estonianfoundation.ca to make a donation , or subscribe and to find out more.