I loved the article about the Building Futures Celebration of Learning. As a teacher in the program, I get to see, on a daily basis, the tremendous impact that a unique learning opportunity like this has on the students in the program. The students are out in their community, and they grow an unbelievable amount in just one year. It was incredible to hear from the students how their experience has been, and how it has prepared them for their future by providing them with an idea of what that future could be.
This is my first year teaching in Cochrane, and one thing I have noticed is how close knit the community is. There is an almost tangible sense of pride in the town from all corners and everyone that I speak to. The students in the program, their parents, our neighbours, the tradespeople we work with, and anyone who we have come into contact with are proud of the town they live in, and excited to see where the town is going.
For me, the most clear display of this is Kingsmith Homes’ unfailing commitment to the Building Futures Program. There are a lot of people with great ideas on how to improve students’ educational experience and achievement, but they are remarkably difficult, and arguably impossible to implement without a dedicated community partner like we have in Kingsmith Homes. Building Futures in particular, and all of the benefits our students receive from being a part of the program, would not exist without their support. Support doesn’t even feel like a strong enough word. Everything Building Futures is, everything we do, hinges on the dedication of Craig Wiens and everyone at Kingsmith.
Communities can be strong, but that sense of community is something that needs care and attention to be maintained and grown. It is great to read about a local program and business dedicated to that end.
Matthew Chomistek
