Sparking inclusion – A custom welding bench for Argyle students

BY SEASPAN VANCOUVER SHIPYARDS

Employees from Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards made a special delivery of a custom-built, wheelchair-accessible welding bench to Argyle Secondary. Argyle offers a unique range of skills-based courses and work experience options, including metalworking and the Youth Work in Trades program. The program, a part of SkilledTradesBC (formerly Industry Training Authority), allows students in Grades 10-12 to earn a paycheque, high school credits and training hours that go towards their trade credentials.

The welding booths in Argyle’s metalworking shop posed a challenge for a student, and the school was working on a solution to make the space accessible for this student and future students with disabilities.

“When I had a Grade 8 student who uses a wheelchair express interest in signing up for metalworking, we were struggling to find a way to make the area more accessible,“ said Ryan Edgar, metalworking teacher. “When Seaspan heard about our situation, they offered to custom build a solution.”

A team of volunteers spent 15 hours fabricating a bench that allows a wheelchair to roll under it, enabling users to weld from a seated position. The result was a custom-built welding bench that could be integrated into the school’s metalworking shop to allow students to fully participate in welding activities.

“Everyone deserves a chance to learn a new skill and be supported by their community,” said Vancouver Shipyard’s Trades Workforce Development Supervisor Steve Wingate. “The skilled trades community is always looking for ways we can spark a young person’s interest in a career in the trades, and I’m so proud our team was able to make this happen.”

“We’re grateful Seaspan was able to make this contribution and make our metalworking course more accessible for students,” added Edgar. “It’s important all students have access to try out these trades courses.” ■

BY NICKY MEY VICE PRINCIPAL

At Eastview Elementary, we are passionate about embedding equity and diversity into our daily school lives.

The children from our Grade 2/3 classes celebrated Black History Month with a focus on identity and The Colors of Us, by Karen Katz. Together, we read a beautifully descriptive story that used all sorts of kitchen spices and foods to describe the colour of our skin. Students then chose their favourite descriptor of their colour and combined it with a unique art project to represent self and other. This same group of students also highlighted the lives of exceptional people of colour. Throughout the month, as students lined up to complete their daily hand washing, they accessed the stories and incredible histories of Black lives on our Black History Month storyboard.

Grade 1 students in Ms. Barreca’s/ Mrs. Thomson’s class celebrated the colour of their skin with beautiful