That Rez Dog sure gets around
- EFN Staff | March 26, 2014
First the dog is touring schools, then showing up at hockey games and eventually taking over career fairs, for goodness sake! Will anyone ever stop this rez dog from getting loose?
At least now when it gets out, we know its name to call it back. Journey. Nice and fitting.
Journey emerged as the best name through a contest that had 1172 entries from 25 different schools. First place was awarded in best name and in best story. Both first place winners received an iPad as well as a pizza party for their classroom and also got to appear with the mascot at the First Nations night at the Blades game.
Best name went to Kielyn Scott, a Grade 6 student Westmount Community School who coined the name Journey as a dog she met at a bus stop that went on a journey with her.
The best story award went to Tallyn Eagle, a Grade 5 student at Whitecap Elementary School. Tallyn wrote how Max "overcame his circumstances and became a stronger dog because of it. He wants others to learn that it doesn't matter where or what you come from. You have the power to change it."
The name "Journey" compliments the story of "Max" about perseverance despite real life challenges many youth face. The name speaks to the many different kinds of life journeys/paths such as personal, healing, educational, health, spiritual journeys.
The goal of having Journey is to help engage young people about the importance of staying in school. The rascally pooch has been a hit at the schools and at the recent Future is Yours career fair, he must have been in one hundred selfies and introduced all over Facebook. Journey was almost the most popular attraction at the whole career fair.