May 1, 2018

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GUELPH, Ontario – Students involved in Guelph CVI’s electric vehicle program have taken their talent across the border.

On April 27, 16 students along with GCVI teachers Matt Lyle, Daniel Crabbe and Dennis Ashley, and the UGDSB’s SHSM/Technological Education Curriculum Lead Charles Benyair, travelled to Marne, Michigan to complete in the National Electric Cart Association (NECA) racing series.

The school was invited to attend and compete against 23 of the top cars in the U.S.

For the past few years, students at GCVI have been learning to build electric vehicles, as part of the UGDSB’s Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program. GCVI’s Electric Vehicle team is made up of students who are interested in manufacturing technology.

The team designs and builds an electric vehicle that is completely battery-powered. They then compete in races, trying to run as many laps as possible on a single charge.

At the NECA race, the GCVI team raced well throughout the day, finishing in 7^th and 8^th place.

“The team did amazing for our first U.S. competition,” said Lyle, adding that they are looking forward to future competitions in the U.S. Next year, they will race with a brand new car, built strictly for competing in the States.

Coming up, the GCVI teams have another three races on May 26 at the University of Waterloo’s Electric Vehicle Challenge, where they will be bringing two new cars that the students built this year.

April 26, 2018

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GUELPH, Ontario – Students at two secondary schools in Guelph have struck up an interesting partnership with the Belwood Lake Sailing Club.

During the winter months, the club identified a number of projects need to be completed for the upcoming season at the volunteer-run club.

They reached out to College Heights Secondary School and Centennial CVI, knowing of the skills possessed by the students and staff involved in various tech and Specialist High Skills Major programs.

Students are now in the process of designing and creating a number of interesting projects for the club, using the skills they’ve learned in school in a real-world setting.

Students at CHSS have designed and made custom BLSC key fobs, which float and are made of cedar and plastic. The key fobs quickly sold out and more are on order.

Students are also creating bat houses for the club and an engraved sign. Auto body students are rebuilding and painting the cage for the club’s BBQ.

At CCVI, students designed a bright orange shirt for the club, which made such a good impression that more will be ordered for club members to buy.

Club members said they were very impressed by the quality of work that UGDSB students and teachers can produce and hope to bring on more projects that involve schools in the future.

March 1, 2018

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GUELPH, Ontario – On March 1, Specialist High Skills Major students had the opportunity to receive certain wellness certifications at Riverside Glen Retirement Village in Guelph.

SHSM is a specialized program that allows students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while still meeting the requirement of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. The SHSM program helps students in their transition from secondary school to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace.

Two Upper Grand DSB schools participated in the certification event. Approximately 40 students from Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute and Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute were in attendance.

Certifications for the day were for three fields of wellness. Areas of certification were Specialized Care: dementia training and nutrition/meal assistance, Advanced training in a technique: ambulation, lifts and PAL fitness, and Advanced training in a technique: infection control.

While visiting Riverside Glen, students had the opportunity to engage in conversation with staff members who provided students with a first-hand account of what it is like working in a retirement village.

November 21, 2017

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GUELPH, Ontario – Students at College Heights Secondary School recently participated  in forklift training at Probuy Safety Solutions in Guelph. The CHSS students, all enrolled in the Manufacturing Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program, were the first in the school board to receive this highly useful and sought after training.

The full eight-hour course ended with the students getting to drive a forklift and perform a series of operations through an obstacle course that they might be expected to do on the job.

The forklift training is just one opportunities for SHSM students enrolled at the school. Manufacturing students taking welding can also earn one of several welding certificates from the Canadian Welding Bureau by performing a weld test for an inspector. Last year CHSS had eight students pass the test and receive a certificate. Two of those students went on to gain employment as welders because of those certificates. Students learn different weld processes like SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, Oxy-Acetylene, Carbon-Arc Gouging and Plasma cutting on high performance welding equipment.

Meanwhile, students taking the Machining stream learn to run state- of-the-art CNC machines and develop the programs and drawings to run them. Hands-on skills using the milling machines, engine lathes, and surface grinders are also part of the program. The school even has its very own blacksmith’s forge.

 

November 14, 2017

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GUELPH, Ontario – Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) students participated in a Health and Wellness certification day on November 10.

Over 40 students from three high schools in the Upper Grand DSB had the opportunity to gain sector specific certifications toward their SHSM Health and Wellness Certification during the day.

Community partners from the Career Education Council and Schlegel Villages collaborated to provide facilitated workshops while also providing students with career insights and other information that helped students gain a better understanding of the health and wellness sector.

Students were also able to obtain information about volunteer opportunities, co-op placements and community programs that are specific to health and wellness.

The schools in attendance included Centennial CVI, Guelph CVI and Wellington Heights DHS.

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