Vic High Student One of 20 to Receive Rogers Youth Grant Support to Begin Electrical Foundation Program at Camosun College
Lily La Fortune (they/them), a student at Victoria High School, is one of 20 Greater Victoria School District students benefitting from a $4,000 Rogers Youth Grant awarded to the Camosun College Foundation.
“My electrical and metal work classes in high school inspired me to apply for the Electrical Foundation Program at Camosun,” says Lily, a Grade 12 Indigenous student. “I enjoyed those classes because I got to work with my hands and I got to see the work I finished whether it be a working outlet or light, or just holding whatever I’ve created. I’m excited to begin the program and am grateful that grant will help make entry into the program easier to deal with.”
Rogers Youth Grants support Canadian community organizations that deliver educational and employment programs to youth ages 12-29. These grants support over 100,000 young people annually across Canada, with a focus on equity-deserving youth, to help them realize their dreams.
For Lily, the grant will fund steel toe boots and a starter electrical toolkit to ensure they have the necessary supplies to begin the 24-week Electrical Foundation Program at Camosun College this year while Lily is in Grade 12. The certificate program combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on practical experience to prepare students for an apprenticeship alongside an electrical Red Seal Certified Electrician/Instructor to install, maintain, design, and upgrade a wide variety of electrical systems.
“We do what we do because of students like Lily,” says Kevin Blecic (he/him), Trades Career Coordinator, Pathways and Partnerships, Greater Victoria School District. “In collaboration with school-based Career Coordinators, we’re able to identify ambitious students who have the drive to explore career paths and support them with work placements, scholarships, grants, and exploratory meetings with local mentors. Together with Samantha Spetter, Lily’s Career Coordinator, we were able to find Lily a placement with the District’s facilities team during spring break last year and support them financially thanks to the Rogers Youth Grant and Camosun College.”
Beyond their interest in trades, Lily is deeply engaged in the Vic High community, volunteering their time to the Campus Cousins program and the school’s Student Council, and applying their creative talents to stage design and lighting with the school’s theatre program. Lily’s leadership has been recognized through celebrations and awards like Breakfast for Champions, Theatre Service Award, and the A.T. Hunkin Leadership Trophy.
“The grant and the program give Lily a solid start for whatever is next in their future,” says Samantha Spetter (she/her), Career Coordinator, Victoria High School. “Lily’s self-advocacy and willingness to try new career paths is the reason they are making strides for themselves. Lily has a knack for seeing a need and filling it right away. Their attitude is amazing. Their non-stop drive and positivity are contagious.”
Greater Victoria School District No. 61
Communications
community@sd61.bc.ca