COAL HARBOUR—K'ak'ot'lats'i School takes a commanding lead into the Christmas break in the 33rd annual Charlie Cup Checkers competition, thanks to a win by Grade 1 student Emma Clair during the recent K'ak'ot'lats'i Christmas Bazaar.
Clair's five-game series victory over contest founder and host David Lyon gives the school four points in the Charlie Cup season, which runs the length of the school year until awards are handed out Father's Day weekend in 2015.
Schools earn a point for each student's win over Lyon on his checker board, which he carries throughout the North Island to set up at school and other public events.
K'ak'ot'lats'i got its first win of the season when Grade 2 student Jessica Hunt beat Lyon in early November during his visit to the school.
Then, the school picked up two more points when both Mary-Ann Nelson and Kayden Nelson earned wins during the Friendship Indoor Soccer Tournament at Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw School later in November.
No other school has yet earned a point in the season, giving K'ak'ot'lats'i a 4-0 lead going into the new year. In all, 181 students have entered the contest this season.
In June, Lyon will award prizes of an iPod Touch, an iPad, both with accessories, and a Columbia mountain bike to the MVP, Most Inspirational Player, and Best Sport.