Skip to content

Students explore post-secondary options in area

Central Alberta high schoolers are getting the opportunity to learn about how they can stay close to home to continue their education post-Grade 12.

Central Alberta high schoolers are getting the opportunity to learn about how they can stay close to home to continue their education post-Grade 12.

Schools across Central Alberta have been engaged in a competition since last week designed to guide students towards considering the various post-secondary offerings at Red Deer College and Olds College.

Through the engagement, students will be able to learn that the Red Deer institution offers the only locksmith program in Alberta, or that one can major in golf course management in Olds.

The online competition sees students able to answer 10 questions every day regarding the two colleges and their programming.

The two colleges are the first to initiate the online Chatter High program in Alberta, according to Kaelyn Smith, marketing and communications consultant at Red Deer College.

Smith said the initiative is designed for Grade 10 and 11 students in career exploration classes to get them to plan for their post-secondary earlier and learn about what is in their immediate area.

She said many commonly think of RDC as a “university transfer school,” but with some degrees all four years can be taken at the local institution.

“This is kind of opening their eyes to the possibilities where they can stay in the area and not have to transfer to those larger institutions,” she said.

Throughout the process, participants are awarded points that can be redeemed for prizes, and which go towards their school’s total.

There are prizes such as $1,000 and $500 tuition credits, and schools accumulating the most points will get money that can be put towards a school-based project or fundraising effort.

Parents and alumni are invited to participate in the initiative as well, and will be eligible for prizes.

Interested participants can sign up at www.chatterhigh.com.

The competition will run until Nov. 1, but the questions will stay up after that date.