The end of the academic year means many of Lethbridge College’s students have moved out for the summer. But this week, a new group has taken their place as dozens of high school students from Pincher Creek and Nanton have made their way to campus.
This is the second year that Lethbridge College has participated in Experiential Learning Week. Students come to campus, live in residence and take part in a specially-designed week of college classes in an area of interest to them. The experience simulates the college experience to help students prepare for life after high school by gaining relevant knowledge and skills.
“We learned so much from our first experience taking part in Experiential Learning Week last year and it’s allowed us to grow our involvement this time around,” says Leah Wack, manager of Regional Stewardship at Lethbridge College. “It’s a terrific showcase for the college, putting students in our classrooms, technical shops and residences, and is also an invaluable experience for the students to get first-hand understanding about programming areas that interest them.”
A total of 38 students from Matthew Halton High School in Pincher Creek and five students from J.T. Foster High School in Nanton are on campus this week. They are taking classes in one of four participating program areas: Agriculture, Culinary Arts, Environmental Sciences and Justice and Public Safety.
Experiential Learning Week has been a staple in Pincher Creek for the last four years, and this is the second time that Lethbridge College has been involved. The programming has been designed by Lethbridge College instructors to give a simulated college experience, while the students will earn high school credit for their work.
The program is funded in-part by a Government of Alberta Regional Partnership Grant with the purpose of developing high school to post-secondary pathways.