Student video promotes high skills major program

Near North District School Board
News Release

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A group of five local students has produced a video promoting The Near North District School Board’s Specialist High Skills Major program. The Specialist High Skills Major programs provide students with the opportunity to gain specific skills and knowledge in the context of engaging career-related learning environments. These programs prepare the students in their pursuit of post secondary goals – whether workplace, apprenticeship, college or university bound.

The Near North District School Board currently offers four unique majors: Arts and Culture (Widdifield), Business (Chippewa), Construction (West Ferris), Hospitality and Tourism (Parry Sound), and will be adding a fifth major in fall 2008 Health and Wellness (Widdifield).

“The Specialist High Skills Majors are a truly unique way to provide our students with a program geared to special skills and talents of our students. We are proud to be able to offer five special streams that meet the educational needs of our student population,” said Heli Vail, Near North District School Board Director of Education.

The video was produced by Linsey Callaghan, Kyle Hansford, Matthew Fraboni, Nika Jordan and Jordan Presseault; students in the Arts and Culture major at Widdifield Secondary School. The students designed and created the video using testimonials and actual footage of students participating in the different High Skills Major Programs. The video was designed to showcase the wide range of programs. It is hoped that it will develop interest amongst students who might not be aware of the wide range of options available to them.

“When the project was initially discussed, we thought that it might be an interesting direction to use students who are actually in the program to develop and produce the piece,” Vail explained.

The students received some guidance from Benjamin James Marketing Communications, but were encouraged throughout to develop their own concepts, ideas and executions for the project.

“It was very inspiring to watch the thought process, problem solving, and creative abilities of these students as they developed this piece; I look forward to hiring one of these talented students in the near future,” Benjamin James President Scott Clark said.

The video can currently be found online at www.nearnorthschools.ca and view In the Spotlight or click here.

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