Youth Programs

Thanks to the Columbia Basin Trust and help from local ski resorts, we were once again able to provide subsidized AST 1 courses for secondary school students. This season, we certified 77 high school students in Valemount, Golden, Creston, Trail, Fruitvale, Rossland, and Cranbrook. Image: Curtis Pawliuk

Avalanche Canada expanded its youth outreach program in 2019-20, delivering classes in Northwest British Columbia, the Yukon, and in French for the first time ever. Thanks to generous support from our sponsors and partners, we were able to present snow and avalanche safety to 8,921 students at 87 different schools in BC, Alberta, and the Yukon last winter. This was made possible thanks to support from the Columbia Basin Trust, Parks Canada, and the Hugh & Helen Hincks Fund.

AvCan supports external youth programs with resources, materials, and curriculum to assist teachers and parents who are interested in teaching basic avalanche education. Our website has a youth section where anyone can access resources, handouts, PowerPoints, and more to aid in their lesson plans. This year we supported the Girls Do Ski Youth AST 1 course, the Open Mountains Project, Scouts Canada, and others.

Regional Breakdown

Columbia Basin—3,877 students Alberta North—1,017 students South Coast—1,395 students Yukon—222 students Okanagan—723 students Bow Valley/Calgary—1,544 students Northwest Coast—143 students

Toolbox Program

We were able to add a fifth box to our tool box program last winter. This box was made possible by a grant from the Revelstoke Credit Union and was used by Revelstoke-based programs like Girls Do Ski and The Open Mountains Project. We also received 30 new transceivers from MEC for the boxes.

The toolbox program continues to be in high demand. We now have five boxes that hold about 20 sets of avalanche rescue gear each, including transceivers, probes, shovels, snow safety kits, and snow saws. These boxes circulate to schools throughout western Canada during the fall, winter, and spring, providing teachers with the gear and resources they need to teach avalanche rescue training. Over 900 students in 44 different school programs benefited from the program last year.

Youth Education Team

Our youth education team increased to nine instructors last year. Many thanks to them for delivering courses in schools and communities throughout BC and Alberta.

Shannon Werner, Coordinator Josh Smith, Interim Coordinator Colin Adamson Alexandra Armstrong Abby Cooper Brendan Cosgrove Brittany Dickson Sean Fraser Brandon Gulstene Breanne Johnson Madeleine Martin-Preney Curtis Pawliuk Dave Quinn Mel Saarinen

“Josh’s presentation was engaging, very informative, and entertaining, with awesome videos and a well put together slideshow. The best part for me was the personal touch from Josh. The way he engaged with students, listened to their questions, and then provided real, honest and useful advice and responses was amazing to see as an educator.”

Carl Light, Teacher École Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School Red Deer, AB

“Our students will be growing up and living in the mountains snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, camping and generally using the backcountry as their backyard. Thank you for bringing us this well thought out, handson, engaging learning opportunity that keeps our kids safe.”

John Hammer, Principal, Summitview Middle School, Grande Cache, AB