Fostering a New Generation of Leaders in the Bow Valley

The Canadian Rockies Public Schools’ (CRPS) Grade 7 Leadership Program, funded by the Wim & Nancy Pauw Foundation, aims to provide students with the skills and experience needed to build essential leadership skills.

What does a leader look like and how can we embody leadership in our daily lives? These are the questions students will explore as part of the Canadian Rockies Public Schools’ (CRPS) new Grade 7 Leadership Program, designed to help students embrace their inner trailblazers.

Funded by the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation, this practical and rigorous training will see students embark on a year-long leadership learning journey that will include service-based learning opportunities, outdoor team-building exercises, and collaborative group work. CRPS students from Banff Elementary, Exshaw, and Lawrence Grassi Middle schools will be grouped together to form cross-community bonds, encouraging students to fine-tune their leadership skills within new groups and inspiring a Bow Valley-wide community of young leaders.

“The Grade 7 Leadership Program illustrates all of the key elements of the foundation’s vision by helping students remain active, vibrant, and happy within the community,” said, Executive Director of the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation Cathy Geisler. “Through their participation, students learn valuable leadership and life skills, forge a strong connection with nature, and build a strong understanding of the importance of commitment to one’s community.”

The program kicked off earlier this month with a service project led by Friends of Kananaskis Country. Working alongside Alberta Parks, students learned the importance of volunteer work, helping to remove more than 10-truck loads of bear-attracting dogwood trees from the Bow Valley Campground.

“A lot of these kids think they are too young to become leaders in their community. But with this service project, we demonstrate that the opposite is true,” said Derek Ryder, director of communications for the Friends of Kananaskis. “All of these kids have the potential to change our future, both in the Bow Valley and beyond. It’s time to work with them to inspire a culture of volunteerism and understanding that you can make a difference by simply putting your hand up.”

After clearing the grounds, students met with local Knowledge Keepers to discuss the importance of knowing one’s self in order to work effectively as a team member -- a key takeaway of the Grade 7 Leadership program.

“Leadership is being able to lead yourself before you can lead others. This program encourages students to learn more about themselves and, in turn, who is around them. This will help them build the skills to work together as a strong team -- one that respects each other, listens to each voice, and truly cares for each other,” said Colleen Lee, coordinator with the Outdoor Learning Centre. “The funding from the Pauw Foundation has been the key piece in helping this program come to life and we are so grateful for their support.”

Superintendent of Schools Christopher MacPhee echoed Lee’s sentiments, saying, "At CRPS, we believe that leadership isn’t just a trait, it’s an ethos. Cultivating student leadership is fundamental to our division's vision. Together with the support of the Pauw Foundation, we’re investing in our students today to ensure they become the thoughtful, proactive community leaders of tomorrow."

The program will continue throughout the 2023/24 school year, engaging students in experiential learning opportunities centred around the natural landscape of the Bow Valley. The program will culminate in June with an overnight trip to YMCA Camp Chief Hector where students will reflect on their learnings.