News

A rockin’ power chord salute and a round of flying windmills go out to the students at Ecole Selkirk Junior High, who under the tutelage of RRC alum Kris Hancock (Industrial Arts/Technology Teacher Education) have raised more than $100,000 to help support the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

The students raised the scratch through their wildly successful B.O.S.S. (Building on Students’ Success) Guitar Works program, in which kids are taught to make functioning electric guitars after school. Once built and painted, the guitars are sent to visiting rock stars and other high-profile celebrities for signatures (among them, Bon Jovi, Fleetwood Mac, Gene Simmons and The Tragically Hip), before being auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Last week, ESJH students presented the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights with a cheque for $68,421, the proceeds from two guitar auctions — one online, the other live — held in May 2013. That amount, in combination with the $32,579 raised during the program’s inaugural auction in 2011, brings B.O.S.S.’s total CMHR donations to $101,000. Read More →

Red River College continues to expand the scope of its international partnerships, having recently met with a high-level delegation from the African nation of Nigeria.

Delegates toured RRC’s Notre Dame and Exchange District Campuses on Tuesday, June 4. Among the visitors were representatives from the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) — the umbrella organization of employers in the organized private sector of Nigeria — and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), a federal parastatal under the Ministry of Industry that provides direct training, vocational and apprentice training, human resource development information, research and consultancy service to industry and senior government officials from Lagos State.

The group was accompanied by Jimmy Agbayani, Senior Program Officer, International Partnerships for the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). During the visit, delegates and RRC officials explored a number of collaborative opportunities in the areas of Hospitality Management, Trades and Technology.

Each year, Red River College awards a Red River College Honorary Diploma to an individual who demonstrates high standards of excellence in their personal and professional achievements, and whose involvement in the community is widely recognized.

Known and respected throughout Canada for her wisdom, gentle spirit and tireless dedication to the community, Stella Blackbird has a special ability to build trust and understanding across cultures and nations.

An Elder and Red Eagle Woman from the Turtle Clan, Stella has served as an Elder, Traditional Healer, Medicine Teacher and facilitator for healing programs and teachings across Canada and the U.S. She has devoted years to the women of Keeseekoowenin First Nation (where she resides), and to women and men in neighbouring First Nations communities, providing counselling and healing and leading traditional ceremonies. Stella also provides teachings at Medicine Eagle Camp, which she helped establish on the sacred ceremonial grounds of the ancestors near Riding Mountain National Park.

Stella has a vast knowledge of traditional medicines, which she shares with those from all nations and backgrounds. Earlier in her career, she served as Resident Elder for the Ontario Native Education Counselor Association in Sudbury, and provided health services for the Ojibway Tribal Family Services Sacred Circle in Kenora. She also served for years in the Third Canada Rangers of the Canadian Armed Forces, providing traditional teachings and survival skills to youth and adults at Camp Borden. Read More →

Graduates of RRC’s Youth Recreation Activity Worker program gathered to celebrate their achievements last Friday, at a special event held to showcase their contributions to the community.

On Friday, June 7, the program’s graduating class met at RRC’s Roblin Centre to pay tribute to each others’ achievements, and to mark the College’s 12th year of making a difference in the lives of inner city youth.

“Congratulations to all of the Youth Recreation Activity Worker program graduates,” said lead instructor Kerry Coulter. “You have already affected the lives of so many youth in a positive way and I know you will continue to have a huge impact in our community and with each individual child you are yet to meet.”

The program, which trains participants to work with inner city youth, was launched in response to increased demand for drop-in programming at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg. Building on existing materials from RRC’s Child and Youth Care program, the College developed a 10-month certificate program to train a new generation of young adults to serve as recreational leaders.

Graduates of the program, many of whom face socio-economic barriers themselves, often go on to find jobs with Boys and Girls Clubs and other inner city youth agencies, or as childhood educators and teachers’ aides.

Last week’s event was attended by a number of politicians and community leaders, including Mayor Sam Katz, Premier Greg Selinger, and Boys and Girls Clubs President Ron Brown.

Click here to learn more about the program, which is open to students aged 18 to 29.

A heartfelt thank-you — and an equally heartfelt congratulations — to everyone who took part in Red River College’s entry in the 2013 Pride Winnipeg Parade on June 2.

Approximately 60 students and staff members, together with friends and family, donned bright red RRC t-shirts while walking the parade route in support of Manitoba’s LGBTT community.

As a result of their enthusiasm (and possibly all the free frisbees they handed out!), Red River College won the “Best Walking Group” award from Pride Parade organizers.

Click here to see a gallery of photos from the event.

Staff from Red River College took part in a pair of day-long workshops this week, to learn more about how Google technologies can support teaching and learning.

The Google Workshop for Educators sessions took place June 4 and 5, and focused on such Google Apps tools as Google+, Google Hangouts, Google Power Searching, Google Docs/Drive, Forms and Presentations, and Bloggers.

About 25 RRC staff took part in the June 5 workshop, which was hosted by Michael Wacker, a Google Certified Teacher and Certified Google Apps Trainer. The June 4 workshop was for external attendees — kindergarten to Grade 12 teachers from across Manitoba.

Participants will be expected to share their knowledge as mentors within their departments and to act as liaisons for training and support with the Centre for Teaching Excellence, Innovation and Research (TEIR).

RRC’s International Education office hosted a delegation from Germany on Thursday — the second such group to visit the College this week.

The delegation was comprised of four representatives from Germany’s Ministry of Education, who were here to learn how RRC delivers training in vocational fields relating to Automotive and Biogas Technologies.

Members also visited local high school, colleges, Manitoba Hydro facilities, and a farm that utilizes biogas technologies.

Earlier this week, the College played host to a delegation from Finland. That group was comprised of instructors and administrators from five Finnish colleges, and included representation from the fields of Vehicle Technology and Information Communication Technology, Student Guidance and Counselling, and International Affairs.

From left: Dental Assisting grads Chelsea Bezditny, Katharina Seibel, Kaitlyn Bezditny, Jillian O’Donnell and Lee-Anne Sabourin.

Dental Assisting graduates from Red River College’s Winkler Campus are gearing up for a summer trip to Guatemala, where they’ll provide free clinical care for local residents in five different locations.

As part of their fifth annual summer mission to the region, five recent RRC grads (now registered dental assistants), as well as a dentist, a dental therapist, and a dental instructor from the College, will provide free dental care to approximately 2,540 Guatemalans — double the number they provided care for during their last trip in 2012.

This year’s team will spend a day and a half attending to locals at San Marcos Church, before travelling to Nuevo Chuatuj, La Felicidad and San Martin Chile Verde in subsequent days. The trip takes place June 30 to July 10; students have been fundraising for months to offset their travel costs.

“Past team members have personally gained a lot from their experiences, and feel blessed by having worked with the people they encountered,” says Athena Wilford, Dental Assisting Coordinator at Winkler Campus. “In spite of poverty and meagre living conditions, the people we met were very gracious.” Read More →

Red River College is pleased to welcome a delegation from Finland, whose members are visiting Winnipeg to discuss possible international partnerships.

The delegation is comprised of instructors and administrators from five Finnish colleges, and includes representation from the fields of Vehicle Technology and Information Communication Technology, Student Guidance and Counselling, and International Affairs.

The visitors are in Winnipeg until Thursday to establish relationships with RRC, and to explore new possibilities for faculty, staff and student exchanges between the respective institutions. While in town, delegates will shadow instructors from RRC’s Automotive and Information Communication Technology programs, visit the educational fields they represent, and give presentations on their work in Finland.