In 2023, Friends of Sable Island Society was pleased to offer $2,000 in scholarships to Nova Scotia students to promote learning and awareness about Canada’s 43rd National Park Reserve.
For this scholarship round, we challenged applicants to research Sable Island’s human history prior to the Humane Establishment and create an accessible timeline of five to seven key events. The aim was to produce an engaging resource that can be used to teach the public about the human history of Sable Island.
We were delighted to receive numerous creative timelines and hope that all of the applicants learned more about Sable Island and its human history through this challenge.
We would like to congratulate Amelia Parker on her $1,500 first place entry and wish her much success as she attends Dalhousie University. We also extend our congratulations to Josie Dunn for taking the $500 second place prize and wish her well as she begins her studies at the University of New Brunswick.
Please find both winning entries below.
Human History of Sable Island by Amelia Parker
Reflective Essay
Sable Island became a source of wonder for me at a young age. In elementary school, we
learned about the wild horses that managed to thrive and survive, and I latched onto the image of
the beautiful horses roaming the sand dunes. Exploring the Museum of Natural History and
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax only fueled my interest with their exhibits. The
reconstruction of the field house and maps truly brought history to life. I think Sable Island
represents resilience, while also being a unique ecosystem that truly diversifies the
environmental and marine history of Nova Scotia.
I am applying for the scholarship as both a way to pay homage to my younger self and
because the submission requirement is exciting and stands out among other scholarships. There
are few scholarships that allow you to be creative and design infographics, and I fully appreciate
the opportunity to have fun while presenting the evolving history of Sable Island. This pushed
me to learn more about the Island, and it made history rewarding and fun. I found myself
completely engaged with the history of the Island beyond the horses and imagery I encountered
as a small child. In the end, learning about the human history of Sable Island only made me
appreciate it more than before.
Sable Island – A History by Josie Dunn
Relective Statement
Île de Sable, or as most of us know it, Sable Island, is a barren land of sand, grass and stallions. An island absolutely affluent with history, stories not yet told and experiences already lived. Countless lives were lost in the sandy waters of this small, Atlantic Canadian region, however, learning about the tragedies and triumphs that were experienced in the vicinity of this 40 kilometre land, has taught me more than any history class ever has. Researching Sable Island is a chance to learn about a piece of Nova Scotian history that most people don’t care to look into. Those people are missing out on some of the most interesting stories of our ancestors, which is why I am choosing to apply for this scholarship. I want to show people that history can be intriguing and enjoyable, fascinating and new. There are always new things to learn about our past. I want to show people just how big such a small island can be. The Sable Island Scholarship is the perfect, engaging way to emerge youth into a diverse past in which they might not otherwise attain knowledge in. Sable Island is not only a way for me to educate myself, but it is a glorious way to become a more well-rounded citizen. To me, Sable Island is one of, if not the most crucial part of Nova Scotia history, and to be a part of such a fabulous project is more than I ever knew I wanted.
