Emerado Centennial School, opened in September, 2006. Located in the fast-growing City of Winkler, Emerado Centennial School was constructed to accommodate approximately 415 students, in grades four through eight.
How it was named
Emerado Centennial School was named through a "name that school" contest which was open to all residents of Garden Valley School Division. The winning entry was submitted by Destiny Toews, a Garden Valley School Division student.
Emerado: The history of our land
The name "Emerado" is derived from an ancient shoreline in the Winkler area. Winkler is located on the beaches of prehistoric glacial Lake Agassiz. The Pembina Escarpment, located a few kilometers west, formed the shores of the prehistoric glacial lake. Winkler lies just east of a secondary beach formed thousands of years ago by a temporary stalling in the draining of the lake.
The impact of the Emerado Beach
The Emerado Beach, as this gentle rise in elevation is called, divides the rich soils of the area between coarser textured loamy sand to the west and finer textured clays further east. The sandy soils are suitable for irrigation and produce the area's potato, corn, and bean crops. The finer textured soils produce canola, beans, and corn in addition to small grains.
Centennial: The year the school opened
Centennial: The name "Centennial" is given to the school since 2006, the year the school opened, is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the City of Winkler.
The Emerado Centennial School Crest
A school crest incorporates the most prominent aspects of a school's identity. Mr. Darren Crane developed the crest.
The Emerado crest includes:
- a roped edge which includes the school name and year of opening
- the Eagle, our team name and mascot
- crest leaves which traditionally represent knowledge and wisdom
- Four quadrants:
- Upper Left: waves of the once existing Lake Agassiz and the sands of Emerado Beach, the source of the school's name. The waves also represent the flow of change and progress that occurs over time.
- Upper Right: the graphic of the house represents Emerado Centennial School's student body house system. The arrows pointing in an upward direction represent the idea of "soaring above and beyond", striving to be the best you can from grade 5 through grade 8. The tassel and graduation cap follow the upward course to graduation and higher education. The heart in the center of the house graphic symbolizes warm-heartedness, relationships, the safe caring atmosphere, and the character of Emerado staff, students, families, and community.
- Lower Left: The tree has two meanings. First, the hand of branches guides us as we strive towards excellence and second, that we must set good examples for others and lend a helping hand to those in need. Trees symbolize life, growth, reaching down to the ground and up to the sky at the same time, and the ups and downs one may encounter throughout life. The hand also represents the exploratory hands-on learning that Emerado features.
- Lower Right: the open book signifies the quest for and acquisition of knowledge as well as the importance of literacy, of rigorous study, and of research.
The Emerado Centennial School Athletic Logo
In April 2006, staff and students were surveyed to determine the team name for Emerado Centennial School athletics. The greatest number of votes was for Eagles. "Eagles" was adopted as the Emerado team name. It is a strong, proud symbol!
The Eagle logo is featured on the gym floor and the gym walls as well as on the team jerseys of Emerado athletes.
Go Eagles!