Welcome to (staged) Coverage!
(It's almost over!)

Hello colleagues, and welcome to Coverage, the newsletter of the Free Press Media Literacy and Learning Project!

It’s JUNE (yippee!) and we wanted to launch now to make sure you don’t miss out on a couple of important things as you head into a well-deserved summer break.

📰 First, if you would like one or more FREE subscriptions to the Free Press print edition for your school in September, we are happy to share that we have a large (but finite) number of subscriptions to provide to schools within Winnipeg. Just send us a note at medialiteracy@freepress.mb.ca with your name and school to claim.

📖 Next, our Summer Reading Challenge for kids has launched! This challenge empowers children across Manitoba to keep reading over the summer break and submit reviews of selected books to be published in the Free Press Books section!

To get things started, we have a draw to win prize packs of all the suggested books! Your students can enter to win here. Check out some past reviews by kids here.

🔜 Finally, keep reading for a sneak peek of what we have planned for this newsletter in future.

We’ll be sending the newsletter on the weekend. Each week, we’ll select the most relevant, Manitoba curriculum-specific news stories to explore in the classroom.

We’ll also share some tips for using news in the classroom, and do our best to get your week off to a smooth and engaging start, no matter how prepared you feel for Monday morning. We’ve got you covered!

🙅 If you do NOT want to keep receiving Coverage next year (whaaaat??), just click “unsubscribe” at the top of this email and you won’t see us again. (If you want to share feedback on why, just hit “reply” to let us know.)

➡️ On the other hand: if you have colleagues who could use some extra coverage in the classroom, forward this email and they can sign up here.

Here’s this week’s news you can use!

Featured resource

Who we are: About the Free Press Media Literacy and Learning Project

Crews don't get much motlier than this: staffers at the Winnipeg Free Press pose atop the newspaper's old building on Carlton Street in the early 1990s. (Winnipeg Free Press Archives)

Crews don’t get much motlier than this: staffers at the Winnipeg Free Press pose atop the newspaper’s old building on Carlton Street in the early 1990s. (Winnipeg Free Press Archives)

For the youngest learners

Merlin is a pet duck in Mexico who has gone viral after wearing a Mexico soccer jersey and socks during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Why do you think people love Merlin so much? Why do you think Merlin doesn’t mind going for walks even when it’s raining?

Grace Penner:

‘Winning is the cherry on top’

Zajac repeats, Tuse gets his flowers in 48th Manitoba Marathon Read More

Blue Taki pickle pizza? Deep fried pickle oreos? Of all the foods listed here, which ones would you try at the Red River Ex? Which ones would you avoid? Which foods aren’t on this list that someone should invent?

Grace Penner:

‘Winning is the cherry on top’

Zajac repeats, Tuse gets his flowers in 48th Manitoba Marathon Read More

See our full collection of news for young children here.

News for debate and discussion

Should the Prime Minister have given support for a controversial and not-yet-approved sand mind project in Manitoba?

Grace Penner:

‘Winning is the cherry on top’

Zajac repeats, Tuse gets his flowers in 48th Manitoba Marathon Read More

Should children between the ages of 16 & 18 be allowed to make their own healthcare decisions?

Maggie Macintosh:

School board’s plan violates rights of young people: children’s advocate

Backlash is mounting over the Steinbach school board’s plans to disregard “mature minor” status and recognize parents as primary decision makers in all student health matters. Read More

Should Transport Canada take some responsibility for the Titan submarine disaster?

Mitch Calvert:

‘Dominoes’ we don’t mean to topple yield results

A keystone habit is a single change that, once in place, quietly drags a whole pile of other positive changes along behind it. Read More

News by school subject

APPLIED COMMERCE

Entrepreneurship profile: this duo sources second-hand clothes to stock their thriving vintage shop

Mitch Calvert:

‘Dominoes’ we don’t mean to topple yield results

A keystone habit is a single change that, once in place, quietly drags a whole pile of other positive changes along behind it. Read More

Two stories about entrepreneurs creating tech that responds to specific sector needs in Manitoba

Aaron Epp:

Ringing up ‘fast rescue system’ Road Ally

Vehicle repair assistance startup creates practical, community-minded solution to real problem: Manitoba Innovates CEO Read More

Aaron Epp:

Directors Desk enters child care HR spotlight

A Manitoba company has released what is believed to be the first sector-specific human resources software for early learning centres and child care operations in Canada. Read More

ARTS

Vibrant colour, joy, and self-expression: the art of David Hockney

Sue Carter – Special to the Star, Toronto Star:

‘I Am Here’ blends professional art with the artifacts of ordinary lives in a big, bright multi-sensory feast

“I Am Here” at the AGO acknowledges an age-old desire to have our everyday experiences witnessed through art. Read More

Music has a long history of being essential to bringing attention to particular issues. Read about and listen to one musician’s song about Winnipeg Transit funding.

Sue Carter – Special to the Star, Toronto Star:

‘I Am Here’ blends professional art with the artifacts of ordinary lives in a big, bright multi-sensory feast

“I Am Here” at the AGO acknowledges an age-old desire to have our everyday experiences witnessed through art. Read More

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Cell phone companies aren’t allowed to tack on extra fees tied to switching plans. Learn why some are pushing back.

Joel Schlesinger:

Pill, bills, budgetary aches

National pharmacare given terminal diagnosis — leaving Canadians with patchwork of partial support, paying billions out of pocket Read More

Shopify is a web service that helps people level up their side hustle into a full-service e-commerce site, but the service is facing controversy regarding its’ use of AI.

Joel Schlesinger:

Pill, bills, budgetary aches

National pharmacare given terminal diagnosis — leaving Canadians with patchwork of partial support, paying billions out of pocket Read More

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

The Free Press Summer Reading challenge is back. Enter now for prizes and activities, participate over Summer by writing book reviews and having them published in our pages!

Joel Schlesinger:

Science fact or fiction investing?

From flying cars to AI to space exploration, investors can roll dice on emerging technologies that may or may not shape future, portfolios’ net worth Read More

Thoughts about how AI interferes with concepts of integrity and individuality when substituted for authentic human writing.

Pam Frampton:

AI threatens relationship between writers, readers

For eight years I oversaw a short-story competition in St. John’s that was sponsored by The Telegram, where I worked, and Creative, a local book publisher. Read More

FRENCH COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE

A more complete understanding of La Verendrye

Jaider Cabarcas:

Une nouvelle oeuvre pour raconter l’histoire autrement

Pendant des décennies, le parc La Vérendrye, situé sur l’avenue Taché, au cœur de Saint-Boniface, a raconté l’histoire de l’explorateur français du même nom à travers une seule statue. La Compagnie de La Vérendrye, un groupe de reconstitution historique, a piloté un projet de conception d’une nouvelle œuvre d’art qui pourrait raconter une autre partie de l’histoire. Read More

Laws and limits of bilingualism in Canada

Joel Schlesinger:

To the moon

Lunar voyage coincides with heated anticipation of SpaceX going public, new funds offering pre-launch exposure to its estimated nearly US$2T valuation Read More

HUMAN ECOLOGY

Community gardens are a vital food security resource

Joyanne Pursaga:

Community gardens, urban farms more than hobby spaces, report authors say

The City of Winnipeg is being urged to make several changes to keep community gardens and urban farms in place longer. Read More

How a national wholesale food distribution might increase food security across the country

Gabrielle Piché:

Manitoba to open India trade office

Provincial government preps job posting in South Asia nation with eyes on ‘room to grow for us, in terms of our exports’ Read More

INDIGENOUS EDUCATION

Changing the wording in a bill that specifies clean drinking water for Indigenous people is a human right

Gabrielle Piché:

Ottawa tabs $21.6M for Sayisi Dene energy projects

A remote northern Manitoba community has solar panels stocked — and now, it’s creating the province’s first integrated renewable energy microgrid led by a First Nation. Read More

The impact and legacy of Metis leaders and landmarks

Mason Hausermann:

210 years of resistance: the Métis at Seven Oaks

Friday, June 19, marks 210 years since the historic Battle of Seven Oaks. This battle, which took place in present-day Winnipeg, was part of the Pemmican War, which saw several altercations between the Hudson’s Bay and North West companies as they fought for domination of the fur trade between 1812 and 1821. Read More

MATH

Canadians are taking on more debt and spending less overall: Numbers, statistics and calculations.

Maggie Macintosh:

High school grads feel the love during North End parade

Talon Phrakonekham felt a tinge of nostalgia as he and fellow members of the Class of 2026 roamed North End streets lined with young cheerleaders and gave out high-fives on Tuesday afternoon. Read More

How much is a trillion, really? Here’s some comparisons:

Rafiq Andani:

Treating the fever while ignoring the infection

What would it take to safely free 20 hospital beds every day? Read More

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH

When, why and how chatbots aren’t good confidants

Editorial:

Teens, social media and doctors’ advice

It seems fair to state that we are on the path to someday viewing social media exposure as the source of mass social harm in the same way we now view leaded gasoline fumes and lead-painted toys. Read More

Small changes to habits can have big health effects

Mitch Calvert:

‘Dominoes’ we don’t mean to topple yield results

A keystone habit is a single change that, once in place, quietly drags a whole pile of other positive changes along behind it. Read More

SCIENCE

How Winnipeg’s Microbiology lab scientists contribute to the control of harmful viruses.

Daniel Ajiroba:

Manitoba’s role in a distant Ebola outbreak

Across parts of Central and East Africa, a familiar threat has returned. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, one of the rarer and generally less fatal variants of the virus, has emerged again in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Read More

Where scientific data comes from and the global effects of limiting collection of it

Laura Rance:

Herbicide drama a nightmare for farmers, investors and government

Glyphosate, arguably farmers’ favourite herbicide and the central character in a high-stakes drama now spanning decades, was back in the news this week. Read More

SOCIAL STUDIES

The human and environmental impact and benefits of wind farms

Laura Rance-Unger:

Significance of soil, water management

The day six inches of rain fell one early July afternoon is etched in my memories of growing up on a southern Manitoba grain farm in the mid-1960s. Read More