A Team Canada Olympian travelled down to Shaunavon yesterday and took over a Grade 3 classroom. 

Mimi Rahneva, a skeleton athlete from Ottawa, was paired as their mentor through the non-profit Classroom Champions, thanks to sponsorship from Crescent Point. 

Her visit to Shaunavon on Monday and Consul on Tuesday were celebratory events for students who partake in the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program.

Grade 3 teacher, Jennifer Lundsten, said the day was long anticipated by her students at Shaunavon Public School.  

"In September we are given a classroom mentor who's usually an Olympian or a Paralympian, and then every month we get a video from our mentor teaching the kids one of the Socio Emotional Learning concepts,” she explained. “Each video comes with a challenge for the kids to do that reinforces it, so there's stuff like feedback, perseverance, community service, healthy living habits. I think the highlight of the year is when we get to have our athlete come in person, and Crescent Point puts on the barbecue and makes it like a whole party.” 

Mimi kicked off the day by talking to the children in their classroom about herself and her success, answering the tiny humans’ questions, which ranged anywhere from ‘What made you start skeleton?’ to ‘Why do you dye your hair blonde?’  

Rahneva also passed around the bronze medal she recently won at a world championship for each student to admire up close. 

Gym class featured a competitive dodgeball tournament, which she jumped right into with just as much, if not more, enthusiasm than the kids.

mimi-olympian - kash knightRacing to grab the balls in their second match, wearing their Classroom Champion shirts.

"The big impact is that you see how excited they get to meet the athletes,” Lundsten said. "It's not their mom and dad or their teacher telling them stuff, it becomes more. And then, of course, they just love that these athletes are famous in the athletic world, and they really make a connection to the athlete.” 

Crescent Point wrapped up the day full of fun with a barbecue for the whole school and their special celebrity guest.