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U.K. PM Liz TrussBԪַ B.C. school days BԪַ pink jumper, big fringe and a sense of humour

New PMBԪַs example being used to help encourage B.C. students to dream big
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U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss (middle row, second from left) is seen in a photo she posted to Instagram on July 1, 2018, showing her with classmates from Grades 6 and 7 at Parkcrest Elementary School, in Burnaby, British Columbia. Truss spent 1987-1988 at Parkcrest. Classmate Brenda Montagano, now a teacher at Parkcrest, is in the back row, fifth from left. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Instagram/Liz Truss

Brenda Montagano, a teacher at Parkcrest Elementary School in Burnaby, British Columbia, had a special item for show-and-tell on Tuesday BԪַ her own class photo from the same school 34 years ago, with new British Prime Minister Liz Truss in the second row.

Truss, who attended Grade 7 at Parkcrest in 1987-1988, is remembered by Montagano as a bright and funny student with a BԪַcool British accent.BԪַ

BԪַI would sometimes sit with her in the hallway doing work and she had this witty sense of humour,BԪַ said Montagano.

BԪַYou know, she would tell a joke and then have a little bit of a half smile after she told the joke.BԪַ

Montagano, who teaches Grades 5 and 6 at Parkcrest, had her pupils guess which classmate in the photo was Truss.

Truss had shared the same photo on Instagram and Twitter to mark Canada Day in 2018.

BԪַ30 years ago, I spent a year in Canada that changed my outlook on life,BԪַ wrote Truss, who included the hashtags BԪַCanadaDay,BԪַ BԪַmaplespiritBԪַ and BԪַpioneercountry.BԪַ

Asked to identify herself, Truss had said: BԪַPink jumper. Big fringe.BԪַ

Montagano BԪַ flipped collar, red hair BԪַ said it was BԪַa bit surrealBԪַ to hear of her former classmateBԪַs new job.

On Monday, Conservative Truss, 47, succeeded Boris Johnson and became the U.K.BԪַs third woman prime minister.

Truss lived in Canada when her mathematician father taught at Simon Fraser University.

Montagano, a teacher for almost 25 years, recalled that Truss was also interested in mathematics and BԪַsettled in very quicklyBԪַ during her brief time at Parkcrest, BԪַno small featBԪַ for a little girl from a different country.

BԪַSometimes it takes a while for kids to settle in and make friends BԪַ She was only here for a year, but everybody remembers her that she fit in very quickly, made friends quickly and was part of the community,BԪַ said Montagano.

Montagano used Truss as the basis for a class activity on Tuesday in which she invited students to write down their goals and dreams for this semester and the future.

BԪַWe talked about how you never know where the person beside you is going to end up. And we also talked about how your actions and your words really carry forwards with people,BԪַ said Montagano.

Andrew Lee, principal of Parkcrest Elementary, said there was excitement in the hallways as news spread of the connection to Truss at the start of the school year.

BԪַTo know that a student who walked these same halls as them went on to become Prime Minister of Britain is inspiring to students,BԪַ said Lee in a written statement.

BԪַItBԪַs something tangible to show that they, too, can dream big and succeed BԪַ no matter what their interests and aspirations. We are proud of all of our students and staff BԪַ both current and former BԪַ and it is very nice to hear that Ms. Truss remembers her time so fondly at our school.BԪַ

Truss became prime minister after winning the Conservative leadership race, beating former treasury chief Rishi Sunak in a party vote.

Truss has vowed to press ahead with the tax cuts and action to tackle BritainBԪַs energy crisis and heavily burdened health service.

BԪַNono Shen, The Canadian Press





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