Harry Ainlay Skills Canada Team

The team members are Brent Cox, Sandi Halliwell,JeffHowlet, Terri-Lynn Hyland, Neil Mazur, Steven Milton,Jaryd Murray, John Neufied, Shirley Rainbow, Colin Veldkamp and Jordan Walker. The Harry Ainlay Skills Canada Alberta Team (HASCAT) combined their skills and efforts to share, advance and promote the fabrication, construction, cosmetology, fashion technology, robotics and culinary industries to students. Each member's passion for the trades transformed option classes into job-site learning opportunities so students could explore and gain hands-on experiences. Each HASCAT team member spent countless hours training and preparing students for success at the Skills Canada competitions. The time spent before and after school, during lunch hours and even during evenings and weekends is a testament to their dedication to help students achieve their personal goals. They prepared each student for Skills Canada levels as they qualified-local, regional, provincial and national. Students Michael (Raleigh) Timms and Jager Watson who worked on building robots for the competition say, "Throughout the project we were able to play as we experimented with new strategies to build the best robot. We are excited to get the team back together and try again this year."

Paul Francis, Teacher, Harry Ainlay School

Paul is a shining advocate for LGBTQstudents at Harry Ainlay. He founded the school's Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) that provides a safe space for students in need of support and guidance. Many students that do not identifY as LGBTQ can also be found working with Paul, helping to create a supportive community that rallies behind LGBTQyouth and other vulnerable students, making them feel safe and welcome. Through the GSA, students have been able to connect with their peers from other schools and hear inspirational speakers address their interests and concerns. Allison Greckol, department head at Harry Ainlay, says, "Mr. Francis' enthusiasm, compassion and admirable work ethic have provided a great example for both staff and students. His room is a safe environment where students are able to talk, share and grow, cultivating a sense of trust in hi~ that is unrivalled." One of the most anticipated activities every year at Harry Ainlay is the Genderbread campaign. Paul and his students bake and give out gingerbread ahead of Christmas to create awareness around various school community events and issues.

Kevin Falcone, Teacher, Harry Ainlay School

Kevin Falcone's environmental stewardship and vision at Harry Ainlay has lead to the founding of the Harry Ainlay SustainabilityTeam (HASTE). His creativity, hard work and dedication to HASTE has transformed the Southeast courtyard into a garden that provides fresh food to the school's culinary arts program, provides additional classroom space and a space for students to eat their lunch in warm weather. Kevin put countless hours into collecting and planting perennials, outdoor furniture and student art to make the space usable and inviting. Through HASTE, Kevin has created awareness about local and global environmental challenges and engaged students to confront them. Allison Greckol, social studies department head, says, "Over a number of years, his vision and labour have contributed to the culture of responsible citizenship and student leadership at Harry Ainlay." Kevin takes the time to research and apply for grants for various projects and was awarded an Evergreen Foundation and Toyota on the Trail grant for the garden. One of Kevin's student's, Mason Rubik, remembers, "It seemed like Mr. Falcone was always writing letters for grants, whether it was early in the morning before school or late afterwards, he made sure students received the best opportunities." Students will be able to apply their learnings at the local and international levels thanks to the experiences they gained through HASTE.