SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

The Construction Foundation of British Columbia

  • GIVE
  • GRANTS & FUNDING
    • PROJECT SHOP CLASS
    • THE SHIFT FUND
    • SCHOLARSHIPS & BURSARIES
      • MOTT ELECTRIC GP TRAINING FUND
      • JOHN CUNNINGHAM BURSARY
      • VICA TRAINING FUND
      • LNG CANADA TRADES TRAINING FUND
    • RESEARCH FUNDING
  • OUR WORK
    • ALL ROADS
      • INDIGENOUS SKILLS
      • ROAD MAPS
    • SKILLS READY
    • PROJECT SHOP CLASS
    • WELCOME EXCHANGE
    • WATT
    • RESEARCH
  • ABOUT
    • CONTACT
    • FOUNDATION TEAM
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
  • WHAT’S NEW
Donate
  • Home
  • NEWS & EVENTS
  • NEWS
  • HERE FOR GOOD: PETER GREER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER CLINT MALTAIS INSPIRING COMMUNITY THROUGH TRADE INITIATIVES
January 28, 2021

HERE FOR GOOD: PETER GREER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER CLINT MALTAIS INSPIRING COMMUNITY THROUGH TRADE INITIATIVES

HERE FOR GOOD: PETER GREER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER CLINT MALTAIS INSPIRING COMMUNITY THROUGH TRADE INITIATIVES

by CFBC PR / Monday, 02 March 2020 / Published in NEWS

VICTORIA, BC – École Peter Greer Elementary School’s $6,000 grant from the Southern Interior Construction Association’s (SICA) Fund in late December of 2018 has continued to benefit the school and community over a year following the original announcement. The positive results stemming from the grant is a testament to teacher Clint Maltais and his efforts to leave a positive impact on not only his students, but his entire community as a whole.

The SICA Fund was created in 2018 to support regional initiatives in British Columbia’s Southern Interior and to encourage youth to enter the construction industry. Maltais approached SICA with a grant application in 2018 – it was a source of funding that he believed could have a positive outcome for his school’s students.

“I think what has surprised us the most has been the lab’s broad appeal to the students in our class and the interest it has generated among students and teachers in our schools and in the district,” explained Maltais. “We suspected that it might be an alternative access point for students, and it was incredibly powerful to see who uses and continues to use it as a way of sharing their knowledge and skills.”

Since receiving the grant, the elementary school has purchased a variety of hand and small power tools to outfit a design lab. The upgraded lab has enabled over 100 Grade 4–6 students to experience an introduction to the trades and the ability to create a number of individual projects that they are able to take home or donate to the local community. The school has endeavored to have a community impact with as many of their projects as possible.

Students have built bat houses and a pollinator hotel with the help from the Women in Trades Team at Okanagan College, and have had them installed in the community’s local green space. They were also able to build a garden box to donate to the nearby Lake Country Lodge and Manor.

“Students have been recognizing the value of creating something that is installed in the community,” added Maltais. “This year, our class has built and installed a community library box that is accessible to families around the school. One of the projects we just completed was building and installing birdhouses for Western Bluebirds with a Grade 1 and 2 class. Students also enjoy building personal projects that they can take home.”

The school has been able to open up the design lab to welcome additional classes to the space and the school has plans for older students to work with some of the primary students on projects in 2020. Maltais is determined to continue developing the lab so as many people experience its benefits as possible.

“Our intention is to continue making the space available to all classes within our school, and offering a replicable model for other schools,” Maltais said.

In addition to opening up the lab space for teachers, Maltais and the school are expanding their exposure of trades opportunities to educators at the elementary school level. Alongside teachers Matt Olson and Sarah Fletcher, Maltais will be offering four ‘Sawdust and Supper’ workshops in the district, where they will share the knowledge they have acquired. The workshops will walk participating teachers through small projects that they can share with their students, with the intention of building teacher’s confidence in using tools with students and providing tool kits to those teacher’s schools.

“We thought providing tools was a pretty critical component of these workshops so that the teachers not only have the knowledge, but also the physical means to do these projects,” Maltais concluded.

About the Construction Foundation of BC
The Construction Foundation builds community through engagement in charitable initiatives and a commitment to industry focused education and research initiatives that benefit all British Columbians. For more information, please visit www.constructionfoundation.ca.

-30-

What you can read next

HERE FOR GOOD: GREYBACK CONSTRUCTION
INTRODUCING THE 2020 INDIGENOUS SKILLS VIRTUAL SHOWCASE!
A LOOK BACK: BEHIND THE SCENES…ON A BOAT!

Recent Posts

  • Electrician Alexandra reflects on opportunities provided through WATT program

    Workplace Alternative Trades Training (WATT) gr...
  • Welcome Exchange initiative hosts Paddle Pendant making workshop for Newcomers

    The Construction Foundation of BC’s ‘Welcome Ex...
  • CONSTRUCTION FOUNDATION OF BC: HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2020

    Like many organizations, the Construction Found...
  • ‘SOMETIMES YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW YOU’RE WORKING’: ISAIAH SHARES THOUGHTS ON POSITIVE EXPERIENCE AS ELECTRICAL APPRENTICE

    Second year electrical apprentice Isaiah has fo...
  • ‘WELCOME EXCHANGE’ INITIATIVE HOSTS VIRTUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EXCHANGE

    The Construction Foundation of BC’s (CFBC) Welc...

Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • May 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2012

Categories

  • ALL ROADS
  • HERE FOR GOOD
  • Media
  • NEWS
  • News and Events
  • Project Shop Class
  • SKILLS READY
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
  • GET SOCIAL



TEL 250 220 5861
info@constructionfoundation.ca
media@constructionfoundation.ca
BN 83026 6300

Content Disclaimer | Board Members Login

© 2019 All rights reserved by The CONSTRUCTION FOUNDATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.

TOP