ALBERTON
Some flower beds around Alberton got a spring makeover and other town properties got a raking Tuesday morning, all in the name of learning.
Ten Westisle Composite High School students, who are participants in Holland College West Prince Centre’s pilot Transitions Group, are spending their mornings this week assisting town maintenance staff with spring clean-up and learning about gardening and the environment.
The Transitions Group program was launched at Holland College’s Charlottetown campus in 2002 and expanded to Summerside seven years ago.
For maintenance and special events coordinator, Garth Davey, the helping hands are providing a nice boost, as Alberton prepares for its first year in the Communities in Bloom program.
Christine Batten is one pf the mentors for the new program which was launched at the West Prince Campus in Alberton in February.
“It’s been awesome,” she said, noting the high school students are exposed to a variety of educational and career choices during the semester. They toured other Holland College campuses, Maplewood Manor, Trout River Industries, small businesses like Moth Lane Brewery, participated in gym workouts and yoga and learned about holistic health. The focus, she said, is on helping the participants figure out what they want to do after high school. The students heard from several guest speakers.
Nicole Smith said her participation in the program helped reaffirm her interest in the nursing profession. She has been accepted into the Holland College Practical Nursing program starting this fall.
“It’s been really informative and showed me a lot of different things that are out there, and how many small businesses we have in our community, observed Kylee Doucette.
While Haley Gallant noted the program gives participants a break from the regular school routine, she acknowledged it gave her insight into her post-secondary options. They’ve started each day of their semester at Holland College in Alberton before transferring back to Westisle for the afternoon.
Based on the success of this year’s pilot program there is a good chance of first and second semester programs next school year. Thirty-two students have registered for it. Members of this year’s program helped promote the program and Doucette admitted getting out of the classroom for half the day was a selling point. “I get to do fun stuff and then go to school,” she said.
“It gives a good separation.” Students can earn two high school credits through the program.
Work with the town’s maintenance staff, Batten said, fulfills an environmental component of the program. “Let’s get out in the sunshine and fresh air and do something in the community,” she reasoned.
