On January 6, the Atlantic AquaFair Steering Committee presented the 2009 AquaFair Award to two deserving students of the NBCC St.Andrews Aquaculture Technician Program. The instructors encourage all students to apply for the award, which has been presented to NBCC Aquaculture Technician students since 2001. The selection process considers classroom achievements along with financial need, and the cash prize of up to $1000 is presented to the winning student(s) around the holiday season. This year's recipients are Stevie-Lynn Hurley (middle) and Faith Caskenette (right), pictured here with Caroline Graham, AquaFair President.

Stevie-Lynn Hurley, nineteen years of age, grew up in Maccan but now resides in Amherst, Nova Scotia. She enrolled in the aquaculture degree program at NS Agricultural College but wanted an aquaculture program that would give her the skills in a shorter time span. She has found the NBCC St. Andrews Aquaculture Technician course to be perfect. “The small town atmosphere, the closeness of the community and also the personal level you reach with your teachers; it was all I was looking for”. After graduating, Stevie hopes to travel, work and learn aquaculture in different parts of the world, and return to Atlantic Canada and use her experience and knowledge to help improve aquaculture in the Maritime Provinces.


Faith Caskenette is 21 years of age and a mother of one little boy. She was born in Edmonton, Alberta and grew up in Cornwall, Ontario. Always fascinated with movies and stories of the ocean and aquatic life, Faith moved to NB at age 16 and saw the ocean up close and personal for the first time. She fell in love with the sea instantly. So, it was no surprise to her that the NBCC St. Andrews Aquaculture Program would be a good fit for her career choice. “After completing the program I would love to start my own business in ornamental fish culture. There is nothing more peaceful than to watch the different colored fish gracefully float by.”