“Jerry D is just a hoot,” Kyle Lichtenwald a teacher at St Agnes School says about the host of Family Feud Canada.
Lichtenwald is one of six teachers on a team from St Agnes who is vying to be on the show’s inaugural Teacher’s Week Edition to be filmed some time this August.
The popular Canadian version of the American show especially created for the late great Richard (Dickie) Dawson has made strides in Canada and now wants to get teachers - and not just related families - in on the action.
“It’s the only time they don’t have actual families,” he said, adding “we’re hoping to get in there.”
So far the team of Hailey Sills, Renee Mealing, Melinda Daintree, Tara Gottselig, Kyle Lichtenwald and Saleh Afshar have managed to clear all of the hurdles from video application to a ZOOM call interview in order to be on the show.
All that they are waiting for is for a call saying whether or not they will be part of the tapings later this August.
For their application tape, the St Agnes educators focused on the uniqueness and highlights of not just the school but also the Friendly City.
The video took the group from the Tunnels, Mac The Moose, 15 Wing Moose Jaw and everything in between.
They even had a flyby as part of their application - likely something no other teacher team will have as part of their try to get on the show.
“We are highlighting Moose Jaw, the school and the community we are building there,” he said.
Lichtenwald said they featured the diversity of St Agnes - where 25 countries are represented in the student body - and how Moose Jaw is diverse.
Even the team the teachers put together is diverse in ages and career development with a new teacher just starting her career and another in the latter stages of her career.
The team’s diversity goes on to team member Saleh Afshar. Afshar, who originally hails from Iran and immigrated to Canada.
Lichtenwald said Afshar’s coaching the girl’s basketball team - along with parent Steven White - to win the Holy Trinity city championship is unique as Afshar had never coached basketball before in his life.
More Than Just A Game
Lichtenwald said Family Feud is more than just a game on an individual and professional level.
On an individual level, it’s not just something his family watches on television but they also have the board game and play it.
On a professional level, Family Feud has invaded the classrooms of St Agnes School where it’s used by teachers as part of the play-based learning concept that is being piloted at the school.
“It helps students learn in the classroom,” he said.
Good For The Community
Not only would an appearance on Family Feud Canada help highlight Saint Agnes School but it’s also an opportunity to feature the city as a whole, he said.
“We want to showcase all of the good things in Moose Jaw,” Lichtenwald said about what the group hopes accomplish on the show.
He said the group is hopeful Moose Jaw’s unique name and character - moving from friendly to being notorious for - will help them get the call to fly to Toronto for taping.
The second hurdle of a ZOOM call included questions about the team, the school and city as well as having the team play a Family Feud game and hopes of winning the producers nod to appear on the show.
Although it’s not a vote based selection process, Lichtenwald said he hopes that the St Agnes team gets a major buzz in the community and helps put them over the top and on TV.
Already the group has become popular within St Agnes itself, showing their initial application tape to the student body at the final assembly.
“The kids cheered and asked us for our autographs.”
It’s a buzz the six teachers are hoping spreads across the community and helps land them on the show.
