A small Red Deer school was one of 10 in Canada who received a $10,000 helping hand.
North Cottage High School in Riverside Meadows was among the 276 applicants for the annual Best Buy School Tech grant given annually to schools across Canada.
“It’s allowed us to purchase high-end computers,” said Evelyn Chan, North Cottage High School teacher, adding the computers they had before ran on Windows XP, an operating system that is older than some of the students.
“Having this ability to develop the students passions and dreams means the world to them.”
Chan pointed to one of the school’s Grade 12 students, Franz Castillo, who wants to make graphic design part of his future career. He developed a video for North Cottage School and because of that video, he was hired by the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools to develop a video.
“I never made a video to make it this far, it was just an activity and it was done. But it wasn’t, it just grew,” said Castillo. “It was my first time being asked to make a video like that so I don’t know how to feel. It was very foreign to me. It’s daunting, but it’s fun.”
The money went towards high-end computers and monitors, a photo printer, a GoPro camera and other camera accessories. All of which have strengthened the alternative school’s computer and graphic design programming.
The new technology will also allow students to compete at Skills Canada regional and provincial competitions. There are 26 students enrolled in the school.
Rick Ramsfield, Red Deer Public Alternative Programs and Support Services principal, said the grant levels the playing field.
“We don’t have the luxury of an economy of scale a school of 1,500 would and purchasing this kind of gear is really difficult,” said Ramsfield. “What this has done is create some unique learning opportunities for our students.”
Ethan Sisson, a Grade 12 student, has excelled at graphic design and wants to make it part of his career after he graduates.
“We couldn’t run some of the programs we can now,” said Sisson. “I do it as a hobby more than a job now, but I’ll look at it in the future as a career.”
mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter