{"id":64064,"date":"2026-05-01T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaker.ca\/?p=64064"},"modified":"2026-05-01T10:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T13:30:00","slug":"herh-student-publishes-first-book-with-message-of-diversity-and-acceptance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/?p=64064","title":{"rendered":"HERH student publishes first book with message of diversity and acceptance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-56506\" style=\"max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-108-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-56506 ml-slider ms-theme-default-base nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Mini Header 2\" data-height=\"200\" data-width=\"600\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_56506\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_56506\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-63688 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-04-08 10:35:32\" data-filename=\"Creative-Minds-Ad-780-x-2501-e1775655291224-600x200.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100090386733545\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Creative-Minds-Ad-780-x-2501-e1775655291224-600x200.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56506 slide-63688 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Creative Minds Ad 780 x 250(1)\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56517 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:19:19\" data-filename=\"steve-mac-new-ad-laker-600x200.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefinancialengineer.ca\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/steve-mac-new-ad-laker-600x200.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56506 slide-56517 msDefaultImage\" title=\"steve-mac-new-ad-laker\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-62054 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-01-31 20:53:23\" data-filename=\"The-breath-Factory-600x200-1.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebreathfactory.ca\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-breath-Factory-600x200-1.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56506 slide-62054 msDefaultImage\" title=\"The breath Factory 600x200\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ELMSDALE:<\/strong> A Grade 12 student at Hants East Rural High (HERH) School is turning creativity into a message of inclusion with the release of her first self-written and illustrated children\u2019s book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Erin Nicholson, of Elmsdale, recently published <em>Darcy and Dash<\/em>, a story centred on diversity, acceptance, and understanding differences, an idea she said is deeply personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking during an interview Thursday afternoon inside Cup of Soul Cafe, Nicholson said the inspiration behind the book came from her own experiences and what she has observed around her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDiversity is a really big topic for me\u2014an important topic for me\u2014from things I\u2019ve witnessed in the media and in my own personal life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than presenting the message in a direct or heavy-handed way, Nicholson aimed to weave it naturally into a story that children could connect with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI really wanted to find a way to show that to children\u2026 not just pushing it in their face, but kind of having this underlying message,\u201d Nicholson explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-56509\" style=\"max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-108-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-56509 ml-slider ms-theme-default-base nav-hidden nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"EH Mini Header 1\" data-height=\"200\" data-width=\"600\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_56509\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_56509\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56510 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 04:23:45\" data-filename=\"Anne-McFarlane-Laker-594x198.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.burchellmacdougall.com\/people\/anne-mcfarlane\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Anne-McFarlane-Laker-594x198.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56509 slide-56510 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Anne McFarlane Laker\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56513 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:07:29\" data-filename=\"ckg-local-choice-ad-600x200.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ckgelevator.ca\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ckg-local-choice-ad-600x200.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56509 slide-56513 msDefaultImage\" title=\"ckg-local-choice-ad\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-56501\" style=\"max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-108-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-56501 ml-slider ms-theme-default-base nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Mini Header 1\" data-height=\"200\" data-width=\"600\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_56501\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_56501\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-63456 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-30 13:24:56\" data-filename=\"Mini-Header_Amy-Seymour200x600.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.royallepage.ca\/en\/agent\/nova-scotia\/enfield\/amy-seymour\/56178\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mini-Header_Amy-Seymour200x600.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56501 slide-63456 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Mini Header_Amy Seymour200x600\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-61393 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-12-31 14:34:23\" data-filename=\"Banner-Ad-Lightworks-2-600x200.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lightworksbookkeeping.ca\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Banner-Ad-Lightworks-2-600x200.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56501 slide-61393 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Banner Ad Lightworks 2\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56502 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 03:55:38\" data-filename=\"Laker-Ad-2025-600-x-200-px.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barracudamechanical.com\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Laker-Ad-2025-600-x-200-px.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56501 slide-56502 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Laker Ad 2025 (600 x 200 px)\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>That idea took shape through a familiar and relatable lens\u2014pets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Darcy and Dash<\/em> follows a young girl who has a specific idea of what her \u201cperfect\u201d pet should be. When she gets a dog, Dash, who is completely different from what she expected, she struggles at first, trying to change him instead of accepting him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, that relationship with Dash evolves into a story about embracing differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cShe kind of has to figure out how to adapt and how to accept these differences\u2026 it ends up playing out as a really beautiful story between the two,\u201d Nicholson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project, which began as a small side idea, took roughly two years to complete, balancing school, a part-time job and other responsibilities along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was definitely a very hard process\u2026 at first it seemed very daunting,\u201d she said, crediting teachers and peers for helping her bring the book to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Nicholson, art has always been a way to express herself, making the finished book especially meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cArts is a really important thing to me\u2026 being able to express things that are important to me through art is such a great feeling,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-56514\" style=\"max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-108-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-56514 ml-slider ms-theme-default-base nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"EH Mini Header 2\" data-height=\"200\" data-width=\"600\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_56514\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_56514\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56515 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:09:25\" data-filename=\"The-McCooeye-Group-Laker-News-Ad-February-2026.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/themccooeyegroup.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-McCooeye-Group-Laker-News-Ad-February-2026.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56514 slide-56515 msDefaultImage\" title=\"The McCooeye Group - Laker News Ad - February 2026\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56516 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:11:18\" data-filename=\"GNS-cruiser-ad-600x200.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gnsequipmentrentals.ca\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GNS-cruiser-ad-600x200.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"600\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56514 slide-56516 msDefaultImage\" title=\"GNS-cruiser-ad\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-56376\" style=\"max-width: 500px; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-108-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-56376 ml-slider ms-theme-default-base nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"East Hants Biz Card\" data-height=\"200\" data-width=\"500\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_56376\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_56376\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56377 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-02 11:06:46\" data-filename=\"Cup-of-Soul-Cafe-2-500x200.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/p\/The-Cup-of-Soul-Cafe-100063475783366\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Cup-of-Soul-Cafe-2-500x200.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56376 slide-56377 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Cup of Soul Cafe\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56495 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 03:44:40\" data-filename=\"john-a-ad-500x200.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/john-a-ad-500x200.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56376 slide-56495 msDefaultImage\" title=\"john a ad\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56496 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 03:45:09\" data-filename=\"Brannens-Biz-Card-ad-500x200.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Brannens-Biz-Card-ad-500x200.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56376 slide-56496 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Brannens-Biz-Card-ad\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-58095 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-08-28 12:50:18\" data-filename=\"Stacey-Ingram-Mortgage-Specialist.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mortgage.rbc.com\/stacey.ingraham\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Stacey-Ingram-Mortgage-Specialist.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56376 slide-58095 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Stacey Ingram Mortgage Specialist\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56497 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 03:46:11\" data-filename=\"Kody-laker-ad-500x200.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Kody-laker-ad-500x200.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56376 slide-56497 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Kody-laker-ad\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56498 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 03:47:28\" data-filename=\"Maritime-Car-Wash-Biz-Card-300-x-200-500x200.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Maritime-Car-Wash-Biz-Card-300-x-200-500x200.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56376 slide-56498 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Maritime-Car-Wash-Biz-Card-300-x-200\" \/><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond telling a story, Nicholson hopes <em>Darcy and Dash<\/em> leaves a lasting impression on young readers\u2014not just about acceptance, but about creativity and possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI hope that people get something from it\u2026 and are inspired to make their own creative projects,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also wants to show other young people that age shouldn\u2019t be a barrier to achieving something meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAge is not a limiting factor to what you\u2019re able to do\u2026 if you put your mind to something, you can see it through,\u201d Nicholson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With copies available online and hopes of getting the book into schools, Nicholson\u2019s debut effort is already making an impact\u2014one that begins with a simple story and carries a powerful message about accepting others for who they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-56511\" style=\"max-width: 500px; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-108-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-56511 ml-slider ms-theme-default-base nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Sports Biz Card\" data-height=\"200\" data-width=\"500\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_56511\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_56511\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56518 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:23:52\" data-filename=\"Brannens-Biz-Card-ad-1500x600.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brannensservicecenter.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Brannens-Biz-Card-ad-1500x600.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56511 slide-56518 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Brannens-Biz-Card-ad\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56519 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:24:12\" data-filename=\"KW-Realty-Biz-card-300-x-200-1500x600.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jerryandannettemurphy.ca\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/KW-Realty-Biz-card-300-x-200-1500x600.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56511 slide-56519 msDefaultImage\" title=\"KW-Realty-Biz-card-300-x-200\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56520 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:24:39\" data-filename=\"cooperators-new-ad-1500x600.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/glynnirvingfinancialadvisor\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cooperators-new-ad-1500x600.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56511 slide-56520 msDefaultImage\" title=\"cooperators new ad\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56521 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:24:56\" data-filename=\"john-a-ad-1500x600.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MLAJohnA\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/john-a-ad-1500x600.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56511 slide-56521 msDefaultImage\" title=\"john a ad\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56523 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-07-06 10:26:01\" data-filename=\"FR-Guardian-Biz-card-with-phone-300-x-200-1-1500x600.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.guardian-ida-remedysrx.ca\/en\/nova-scotia\/fall-river\/fall-river-guardian-7001327\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FR-Guardian-Biz-card-with-phone-300-x-200-1-1500x600.png\" height=\"200\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56511 slide-56523 msDefaultImage\" title=\"FR-Guardian-Biz-card-with-phone-300-x-200\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-56191\" style=\"width: 100%; 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width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56198 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-06-26 18:06:40\" data-filename=\"Laker-Ad-2025-600-x-200-px-1436x578.png\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/barracudamechanical.com\/category\/your-home-heating\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Laker-Ad-2025-600-x-200-px-1436x578.png\" height=\"289\" width=\"718\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56191 slide-56198 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Laker Ad 2025 (600 x 200 px)\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-56196 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-06-26 18:05:28\" data-filename=\"The-McCooeye-Group-Laker-News-Ad-February-2026-1436x578.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/themccooeyegroup.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-McCooeye-Group-Laker-News-Ad-February-2026-1436x578.jpg\" height=\"289\" width=\"718\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-56191 slide-56196 msDefaultImage\" title=\"The McCooeye Group - Laker News Ad - February 2026\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ELMSDALE: A Grade 12 student at Hants East Rural High (HERH) School is turning creativity into a message of inclusion with the release of her first self-written and illustrated children\u2019s book. Erin Nicholson, of Elmsdale, recently published Darcy and Dash, a story centred on diversity, acceptance, and understanding differences, an idea she said is deeply [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":64143,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[965,957],"tags":[4515,1200,10883,1311,196,986,10884,1198,206],"class_list":["post-64064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-east-hants","category-news","tag-amazon","tag-author","tag-darcy-and-dash","tag-diversity","tag-east-hants","tag-elmsdale","tag-erin-nicholson","tag-hants-east-rural-high","tag-herh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=64064"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64064\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/64143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=64064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=64064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=64064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}