News Archives: Inspiring Students To Seek Higher Education - Grade Seven Day at GPRC
Thursday, May 8th, 2014
Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) is today pleased to be hosting “Grade 7 Day” for a third successful year. Some 400 grade seven students from schools throughout the region are enjoying a mini post-secondary experience focused around program options available at GPRC and other provincial post-secondary institutions. The intent of this special day is to give these students a glimpse of the endless possibilities available to them in the post-secondary world and to encourage them to explore that world and their place in it.
“Grande Prairie Regional College is delighted to be the host facility for this initiative,” says Susan Bansgrove, Vice President, Academics and Research. “The goal is to promote the concept of post-secondary education rather than a specific institution, and we are very pleased to offer our College faculty and facilities for this purpose.”
The Grade 7 Day pilot project was initiated by the Regional High School Summit (RHSS)– a group of regional leaders of secondary and post-secondary system including four school divisions and GPRC. The members of the high school summit believe that grade seven students are at the perfect age to introduce post-secondary possibilities. It is hoped that the experience will inspire a greater academic focus during junior and senior high school studies.
Students are exposed to presentations about a wide range of subjects, experience a taste of college life, and gain insight into post-secondary options. The day-long event is free of charge to all students with transportation being covered by respective school divisions. Lunch and welcome gifts for the 400 plus students will be provided courtesy of GPRC and participating sponsors ConocoPhillips, Pizza Hut, and SaveOnFoods.
“Through this experience we hope students will feel motivated, empowered and open to the world of opportunities available to them,” says Bansgrove. “They will leave here today more aware of the academic focus necessary to fulfill their hopes and dreams for the future.”
“GPRC is here for the learners of our region,” says Don Gnatiuk, President and CEO of the College. “Grade 7 Day is a great chance for us to show these young people how exciting higher learning can be, and to help inspire those who will be leading our communities in the future.”
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