Programs & Initiatives

<p><strong>Project Smelter</strong> is a 2-day career awareness opportunity for secondary students. The project showcases opportunities in power generation and aluminum production.&nbsp;Hosted by <a href="https://sd91careerprograms-sd91.cmdesign.imagineeverything.com/rio-tinto">Rio Tinto</a> in Kitimat.</p><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:69.1%;" src="/images/012cc039-b9bc-493a-b018-f3a5b75305f4" alt="Project Smelter "><img class="image_resized" style="width:69.39%;" src="/images/8ba5c71a-9468-42b1-992d-bf6bb2c97902" alt="Project Smelter "><img class="image_resized" style="width:69.89%;" src="/images/052f0e38-dc61-4485-a3d4-1f9bc6755427" alt="Project Smelter "></p>

<p><strong>Project Marine</strong> is a 1-day career awareness opportunity for secondary school students. The project showcases marine based career opportunities via in-land ferry operations. Students gain hands-on exposure to marine engineering, deck operations and vessel navigation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Project Chef</strong> is a 2-day career awareness opportunity for secondary school students. The project showcases opportunities in the field of culinary arts. Students gain hands-on exposure to kitchen operations, menu planning, budgeting and meal preparation and presentation. <img src="/images/63ab25b0-203f-4230-b15f-a9051ca4f003" alt="Project Chef"></p>

<p><strong>The Nechako White Sturgeon Curriculum</strong> offers a wide range of resource available for free to educators. All resources are listed on the <a href="https://nechakowhitesturgeon.org/education/overview">NWS Curriculum website</a>, including:</p><ul><li>Online educational lesson based curriculum covering topics about the Nechako watershed and sturgeon biology.</li><li>Senior students can get hands-on experience at the Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre.</li><li><a href="https://sd91careerprograms-sd91.cmdesign.imagineeverything.com/sturgeon-curriculum-kit"><strong>Classroom Kit</strong></a>, available on loan to teachers. Contains &nbsp;number of water sampling, animal ID and environmental games.</li><li><strong>Riparian Kit</strong>, a crafting lesson where students create their own river and riparian zone based on their understanding of what a healthy riparian zone should look like.</li><li><strong>Sturgeon stuffy</strong> - a live-sized sturgeon plush toy that is simply fun to have in the classroom and is great for understanding the body parts of a sturgeon.</li><li><a href="https://sd91careerprograms-sd91.cmdesign.imagineeverything.com/storm-drain-painting-sturgeon-curriculum"><strong>Storm Drain Painting Kits</strong></a> are available to have students do in community habitat harm reduction.</li><li><a href="https://nechakowhitesturgeon.org/education/NWSRI-Videos"><strong>Videos</strong></a> - there over 10 videos made about all aspects of sturgeon ecology, the Nechako watershed, hatchery operations, and research.&nbsp;</li><li>You can book a <strong>tour</strong> of the Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre (call 250-567-6673).</li><li>You can also invite <strong>guest speakers</strong> to your classroom to talk about sturgeon and the watershed (email info@nechakowhitesturgeon.org).</li><li>plus much more - go to the <a href="https://nechakowhitesturgeon.org/education/overview">Curriculum website</a> to find all the resources.</li></ul>

<p><strong>Junior Initial Attack</strong> is a year long program opportunity for <strong>Grade 12 students</strong>. Successful applicants to the program participate in a series of workshops, seminars, &amp; physical tests throughout the school year. Top performers become eligible for summer employment with the Ministry of Forests as active Initial Attack Fire Fighters.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/images/bf579330-0d57-4617-be80-157e9de6f716" alt="Project Initial Attack - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:67.97%;" src="/images/38f169f9-5b45-4e6a-9287-9d653bf8a093" alt="Project Initial Attack - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:68.15%;" src="/images/84bf50ad-59a2-4d68-a408-51b3f0f5c07a" alt="Project Initial Attack - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:53.4%;" src="/images/5aeb5f66-1668-4f59-9ba8-fb9ec73885e1" alt="Project Initial Attack - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:53.19%;" src="/images/39c2565b-0afa-43a3-9bc4-6cb1bb156dec" alt="Project Initial Attack - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:53.46%;" src="/images/5ff382bd-ab12-439d-8708-4e06d418bfd5" alt="Project Initial Attack - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:53.14%;" src="/images/c0048336-0e47-4236-ba55-daea65f76580" alt="Project Initial Attack - SD91"></p>

<p><strong>Project Forest Management</strong> is a 1-day career awareness opportunity for secondary school students. The project showcases the world of forest management. Students gain hands-on exposure to the many facets of modern forest management practices. Modern GPS usage, block layout, tree planting, brush cutting, and forest fire fighting practices are available for students to explore and experience.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/images/08d60c5b-940e-498f-b8f7-1b116a83b65f" alt="Project Forest Management - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:64.08%;" src="/images/4232a0b4-2709-42f1-a3f4-0d966f9e5f7b" alt="Project Forest Management - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:81.07%;" src="/images/ae3cef92-abee-4856-ba67-41581460b310" alt="Project Forest Management - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:62.55%;" src="/images/dfee42e5-1f25-4574-9ee4-f7e56a791e68" alt="Project Forest Management - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:76.72%;" src="/images/061d49d7-73e8-40f6-948f-183fafede806" alt="Project Forest Management - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:64.28%;" src="/images/3f736273-bfd1-478c-9955-5d4545a4ff9e" alt="Project Forest Management - SD91"><img class="image_resized" style="width:64.61%;" src="/images/34943b8c-8417-493f-a4c9-2935548e4878" alt="Project Forest Management - SD91"></p>

<p><strong>Project Heavy Duty</strong> is 1 day career awareness opportunity for secondary students. The project provides students the opportunity to operate a broad range of industrial machinery such as skidders, loaders, feller-bunchers, gravel trucks, excavators, packers, back-hoes, graders, earth moving machinery, and cranes to name a few.&nbsp;</p><figure class="image image_resized image-style-align-left" style="width:43.57%;"><img src="/images/e09fc2bb-0589-4043-a3f6-3f274cc5b3a4" alt="Project Heavy Duty - SD91"><figcaption>Class 2011</figcaption></figure><figure class="image image_resized image-style-align-left" style="width:43.86%;"><img src="/images/fb405422-854b-42c1-be25-83f7762138ed" alt="Project Heavy Duty - SD91"><figcaption>Class 2004</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class="image image-style-align-left image_resized" style="width:43.43%;"><img src="/images/c839ffb3-edfa-4ea9-a11a-638f9a8b93c7" alt="Project Heavy Duty - SD91"><figcaption>Class 2008</figcaption></figure><figure class="image image-style-side image_resized" style="width:39.71%;"><img src="/images/e1724b40-97e0-40dd-8da9-3517d757732a" alt="Project Heavy Duty - SD91"><figcaption>Class 2009</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:44.35%;"><img src="/images/e7ca0dbb-8f0c-4c86-9a60-55eb4c83f971" alt="Project Heavy Duty - SD91"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:44.92%;"><img src="/images/40a9cf95-1547-4dd0-bee6-01e0e79f1d2d" alt="Project Heavy Duty - SD91"></figure>

<p><strong>Project Trades</strong> is a 1-day career awareness opportunity for secondary students. Participants discuss career opportunities with electricians, pipe-fitters, saw filers, millwrights, carpenters, and heavy-duty mechanics at their respective job sites.</p><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:56.79%;" src="/images/f4c310e2-b30e-4dd0-a783-8e456473d2b1" alt="Project Trades, SD91"></p><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:56.7%;" src="/images/52e4ad7f-03ed-4310-88f4-2df33f2702d0" alt="Project Trades, SD91"></p><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:56.4%;" src="/images/38772cb5-3e31-49d3-a2c8-7f0251bafb95" alt="Project Trades, SD91"></p>

<p><strong>Project Health</strong> is a 2-day career awareness opportunity for secondary school students.&nbsp;The project showcases career options and possibilities in the health. The project provides interested students hands-on exposure to the many aspects and opportunities in medicine.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/images/859a0a2f-8e2d-4a6d-b2ba-928ebceaf346" alt="Proj Health IMG 5673"></p><p><img src="/images/b3bf3bf3-c07c-4a2e-b018-bfddfb3022ad" alt="Proj Health IMG 5817"></p><p><img src="/images/6eb7d2bc-f5af-4280-be2d-c408640d30c1" alt="Proj Health IMG 5751"></p><p><img src="/images/6e486f77-dbfe-4417-9360-df2e30bc37f1" alt="Proj Health IMG 5838"></p><p><img src="/images/6104ef22-1dc5-4a86-82a9-07da98d83625" alt="Proj Health IMG 5744"></p>

<p><strong>Project Fire Fighter</strong> is a 1-day full immersion opportunity for secondary students.&nbsp;The project involves students participating in a variety of live fire scenarios at the regional fire training centre.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/images/4d6b7d68-bf5e-47ad-9a57-3d05f78f8591" alt="Proj Fire Fighter IMG 3774"><img src="/images/c85b2b97-faa6-4017-8ece-1e8ecd3a752f" alt="Proj Fire Fighter IMG 3687"><img src="/images/c401754f-e804-4d59-aefb-7353ed9b09ec" alt="Proj Fire Fighter IMG 3753"><img src="/images/8d5e057f-0ca6-4257-ae23-ae3a09b96330" alt="Proj Fire Fighter IMG 3711"><img src="/images/da242320-fe3e-4857-adb5-e00c33c8dec4" alt="Proj Fire Fighter IMG 3645"></p>

<p><strong>Project Green Energy </strong>is a 1-day career awareness opportunity for elementary students. The project showcases opportunities in the field of bio-energy production. Students gain exposure to co-gen operations and pellet production processes and techniques.</p><p><img src="/images/bbfab19c-e2d9-40c0-a515-92550d6ba6ab" alt="Proj Green EnergyIMG 4314"><img src="/images/afe8a3e1-391a-4f51-a18c-2d94ced609c5" alt="Proj Green EnergyIMG 4305"><img src="/images/6cfbbefc-4481-4b37-9840-3a682285e74e" alt="Proj Green EnergyIMG 4247"><img src="/images/2d7964ba-2c1b-416a-9252-4b2c622e4185" alt="Proj Green EnergyIMG 4090"><img src="/images/3407caa4-ed65-4451-baa1-375c0b203622" alt="Proj Green EnergyIMG 4263"></p>

<p><strong>Project Junior Trades</strong> is a 1-day career awareness opportunity for 7 area elementary schools. Students experience the world of carpentry, welding, culinary arts, and hairstyling via hands-on activities from certified tradespersons.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/images/88e112cc-2bb9-4213-b2af-66d549e662b5" alt="Proj Jr Trades Picture 040"><img src="/images/64e6086b-685a-4ffe-a800-aa17f8e432c1" alt="Proj Jr Trades Picture 138"><img src="/images/4bd34ced-75f9-4d83-ba81-3a87b6bf4d6b" alt="Proj Jr Trades Picture 019"><img src="/images/f3566c5c-c533-4bd2-99e3-65cc2f20b9a1" alt="Proj Jr Trades Picture 039"><img src="/images/3c3db4b6-8533-42df-820b-03a0e822ed15" alt="Proj Jr Trades David Hoy"></p>

<p><strong>Project Illustrator</strong> is a 1-day career awareness opportunity for secondary students. The project showcases opportunities within the field of illustrations. Students gain hands-on exposure to storey boarding, various artistic styles and direct interaction with accomplished illustrators.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/images/06291e09-daae-4b1a-a181-1f5e9d019578" alt="Proj Illustrator 1"><img src="/images/fb9fc081-2b13-4924-bf92-ded08ab79b27" alt="Proj Illustrator Asher with books smile"><img src="/images/cdf16ac3-4f4f-4fb0-95b1-90aabaf245a7" alt="Proj Illustrator 2"></p>

<p><strong>Camp Natural Resource Management</strong> is a 1-day career awareness opportunity for secondary school students offered in the fall.</p><p>Participants explore the many career opportunities open to them in the natural resource management sector. Students are exposed to careers in land management, silviculture, archaeology, forest health, forest ecology &amp; fish wildlife. An integrated land management plan is created by students at the end of the project.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/images/c56a58df-bd0a-4a7b-896d-50b3c11f59bc" alt="Camp NR IMG 1473"><img src="/images/a55e2b4a-0d21-49f6-aaa4-3f9a1d25665b" alt="Camp NR IMG 1467"><img src="/images/f72083db-0374-4414-bd75-850a4e2f7346" alt="Camp NR IMG 1552"><img class="image_resized" style="width:40.34%;" src="/images/169af9e7-3b12-4a41-b878-611f1b334b70" alt="Camp NR IMG 1524"> <img class="image_resized" style="width:43.81%;" src="/images/6665d5d6-0d93-45e5-a5c6-04034ec1824c" alt="Camp NR IMG 1528"></p>

<p><strong>Project Agriculture</strong> is a 1-day career awareness opportunity for secondary school students.&nbsp;</p><p>The project showcases agriculture as a valuable resource in our region, and the province. Students receive hands-on exposure to the many aspects and opportunities in agriculture in the Nechako Valley, the second largest forage producing area in British Columbia.</p><p><strong>NEW</strong> - coming in 2026 an Agricultural Expo for Grades 4-6.</p><p><img src="/images/d1424d7e-ed63-481a-ba00-aced3576be42" alt="Proj AG DSC06497"><img src="/images/ea5062d3-b858-4fb1-87f7-f2af0b841ca5" alt="Proj AG DSC06516"><img src="/images/9210b65d-892d-4730-a00a-fb01f1c7c0e2" alt="Proj AG 100 3129"><img src="/images/8f2c5610-51f0-4c98-b23d-e65fde926d9f" alt="Proj AG 100 3148"><img src="/images/60fdfcd8-a940-4a7e-b90f-df8cc75e3923" alt="Proj AG DSC06571"><img src="/images/841441df-b00d-4ceb-8eb7-1e3233097e1d" alt="Proj AG DSC06556"><img src="/images/75bc2fb2-e769-4874-bdd7-6114e40be083" alt="Proj AG DSC06533"><img src="/images/100f800a-189f-411c-9a35-879f4c647566" alt="Proj AG DSC06530"><img src="/images/841441df-b00d-4ceb-8eb7-1e3233097e1d" alt="Proj AG DSC06556"><img src="/images/675ffaff-4508-498f-9fed-d61df20dfebe" alt="Proj AG 100 3160"></p>

<p><strong>Project Boat Float</strong> is a one-day event in the spring for elementary students.&nbsp;</p><p>Students working collaboratively utilize cardboard and adhesives to design and construct a small boat – the boat with passenger is floated inside a water bladder to determined how long it can remain afloat.</p><p><img src="/images/292e8ca4-3c44-4da6-99ad-3014e1fc6234" alt="Proj Boat Float IMG 1291"><img src="/images/01acdccb-8256-49c2-8ec0-558d975009b3" alt="Proj Boat Float IMG 1302"><img src="/images/e08fea06-f3a3-4ba1-bfaf-2e01ba9e63aa" alt="Proj Boat Float IMG 1301"></p>

<p><strong>Project Simple Machines</strong> is a week-long event for elementary students.&nbsp;Utilizing the mobile carpentry trailer and the <a href="/maker-kits">maker kits</a>, students design and create simple machines that are displayed and put to the test on the final day.</p><p>Program is offered in the FALL or SPRING.</p>

<p><strong>Sturgeon Release</strong> is a one-day event for elementary students. Classes name their respective sturgeon and release (along with a salmon fry for each student) it into the Nechako River.&nbsp;Following this activity classes can interact with up to 18 other stations.</p><p>This event is held in Vanderhoof at Riverside Park on the<strong> first Friday in June</strong>.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Storm Drain Project</strong> is a one to multi-day activity for elementary students.&nbsp;In collaboration with the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative and utilizing the Sturgeon Storm Drain Painting Kit, students in groups of 4 to 6 paint a sturgeon and salmon silhouette beside storm drains at various locations throughout the community.</p><p>Best time of year to paint storm drains is in the SPRING, however the fall before the snow starts works too.</p><p>This program is for schools in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake and Fort St. James, however the concept can be done in the other communities, using salmon-only stencils.</p><p><strong>There is even an instructional video!</strong></p><figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UidLdvm2HeE&amp;feature=youtu.be"></oembed></figure>

<p><strong>Project STEAM</strong> is a two-day event for secondary students.&nbsp;The project provides hands-on activities relates to science, technology, engineering, arts and math at UNBC.</p><p>Program is offered in the WINTER.</p><p>This program requires travel outside of SD91.</p><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:40.91%;" src="/images/64228d8e-acd8-431d-b728-c75191c9cb11" alt="Proj STEAM PXL 20231208 194315590"> <img class="image_resized" style="width:40.9%;" src="/images/416f8b93-cd7a-4bb9-8ad9-4d032cfc371f" alt="Proj STEAM PXL 20231208 184124938"></p><p><img src="/images/928d8f3a-7635-4a3c-a940-a57c7c1c6449" alt="Proj STEAM PXL 20231207 193637368"></p><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:42.93%;" src="/images/13d80c5d-d87a-4cee-b44b-76e89fb9c392" alt="Proj STEAM PXL 20231207 193546975"> <img class="image_resized" style="width:42.85%;" src="/images/d9d548aa-47d9-4a69-987d-5345198005ae" alt="Proj STEAM PXL 20231208 183602309"></p><p><img src="/images/0c026539-880b-453d-9523-3476ae480cd1" alt="Proj STEAM PXL 20231207 182331851"></p>

<p><strong>Carl's Car Initiative </strong>has elementary students design and build a small wooden car. The initiative culminates in a District-wide <i><strong>Carl’s Car Race Day</strong></i>, where students race their cars.</p><p>Carl's Cars runs in the SPRING.</p>

<p><strong>Project Little Skills </strong>is a one-day event for elementary students.&nbsp;</p><p>Intermediate elementary students create several ADST stations from existing school-based resources.&nbsp; Other classes from the school come and interact with the stations and intermediate students provide the hands-on instruction.&nbsp;</p><p>Great for Grades 4 through 9.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/images/876c24fb-69c6-49a0-a35d-d985eddcc4d4" alt="Proj LittleSkills IMG 5128"> <img class="image_resized" style="width:48.36%;" src="/images/9288f277-2a9f-4bf0-b513-cb2c89ba8cb1" alt="Proj LittleSkills IMG 5132"></p><p><img src="/images/1ab9186e-ee9b-4fd0-a1f7-ec81d7264f7d" alt="Proj LittleSkills IMG 5158"> <img src="/images/4666689c-5376-4355-bef1-d016b34be448" alt="Proj LittleSkills IMG 5148"></p><p><img src="/images/c179a916-952c-4937-9445-090c42624c9d" alt="Proj LittleSkills IMG 5145"></p><p><img src="/images/d64acc3a-0362-46d4-8ca4-44bb19958444" alt="Proj LittleSkills IMG 5144"> <img src="/images/e2f8b70d-4643-4022-8ff2-d5e99d1a0cb0" alt="Proj LittleSkills IMG 5202"></p><p><img src="/images/cfa4f4b4-7a5c-4d78-aa4c-e052913bf75b" alt="Proj LittleSkills IMG 5130"></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Zone 01 – Robotics </strong>is year-long opportunity for elementary students.&nbsp; Participating as a class group or school-based club, students work to construct and program robots to perform specific tasks. At the end of the session, a District-wide robotics competition is held for students.</p><p>Great for Grades 4 through 9.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>