Cenovus Donates $60,000 towards C-School

When the first group of students walks through the doors of the Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre to attend C-School in October, they will also be celebrating an important milestone. The 2016-2017 school year will be the 10th year the innovative experiential education program has been offered to schools throughout the Lakeland.

“The fact this program has lasted 10 years and continues to grow in popularity year after year shows how invaluable these hands-on learning opportunities are for our students,” said Northern Lights Board Chair Arlene Hrynyk.

C-School is operated by Northern Lights Public Schools, but is open to all students in grades 3 to 6 in the Bonnyville-Cold Lake area. The program is sponsored by Cenovus, the Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre and the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs.

Today (Tuesday, June 28), Cenovus presented Northern Lights with a cheque for $60,000 to fund C-School for 2016-17 school year.

“Cenovus is excited to continue supporting Northern Lights Public Schools’ goal of skill building through C- School,” said Andrea Ruste, Community Affairs Advisor. “We are excited to bring this successful program to schools because it creates unique opportunity for teachers to transport their classroom to a creative, interactive learning space for students. We believe in contributing to initiatives that foster a vibrant future for our operating communities.”

“This program would not be sustainable without the support we receive from our partners,” said Hrynyk. “This is an excellent example of the community coming together to ensure that our children have access to learning experiences that enhance their education and allow them to learn about the world around them.”

In addition to annual funding of $60,000, Cenovus also provides other resources and supports to C-School. The Centennial Centre hosts the program, providing classroom space and access to the centre’s amenities free of charge. The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs schedule time between practices and games to skate with students, and talk to them about goal setting, teamwork and perseverance.

C-School is an enhanced experiential education program that provides students in grades 3 to 6 with hands-on learning opportunities to explore curricular concepts in a safe and caring learning environment. Students use the amenities and resources available at the Centennial Centre to learn about literacy, numeracy, science, health and wellness, citizenship, and skills that will prepare them for the world of work.

In 2015-2016 a record-breaking 582 students took part in C-School. Programming was expanded to include French Immersion and several new schools were introduced to C-School, including LeGoff School.

C-School runs annually between October and April at the Centennial Centre and is open to students from all schools in the Bonnyville-Cold Lake area. For more information on what students are learning at C-School, check out the C-School website at www.c-school.ca or follow @NLSDCSchool on Twitter.

*Press Release from NLSD