BC Student Voice

North Vancouver Student Forum Putting the “U” Back...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:03:26 -0800

North Vancouver Student Forum

Putting the “U” Back into Education: Operation Innovation

Okanagan Student Voice Forum in the News

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:43:32 -0800

Okanagan Student Voice Forum in the News:

Okanagan Student Voicers went straight to the experts to find out how to learn through play.

When discussing what makes a well-rounded, happy, and successful student, they decided to head to a Vernon elementary school to gain some insight from a Kindergarten class.

Read the article from the Vernon Morning Star

Vancouver Sun Student Video Contest

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:05:19 -0800

Vancouver Sun Student Video Contest:

Have you entered yet? This contest is open to open to all secondary school students in BC. Take a look at some of the great entries already online!

"I have learned that students really can make a difference. Seeing it in a movie or reading about it..."

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:54:00 -0800

“I have learned that students really can make a difference. Seeing it in a movie or reading about it us one thing, but experiencing first hand the power of youth is positively overwhelming! It has inspired me.”

- Kyle Wamer, Ballenas Civic Action Group, Ballenas Secondary School, Parksville

Ballenas Civics Action Group Shows Students Thinking Globally...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:48:00 -0800

Ballenas Civics Action Group Shows Students Thinking Globally and Acting Locally

Having finished their Civics course the year before, a group of grade 12 students at Ballenas Secondary missed the opportunities to learn about and discuss a broad range of issues that Civics had afforded them. It was the desire to recreate these opportunities that gave them the impetus to join with other like-minded peers to form a Civics Action Group.

The Ballenas Civics Action Group has a simple mandate: to provide students with the opportunity to gain knowledge of political, global, local and environmental issues; to create an environment conducive to their being discussed; and also to provide opportunity for the organization of group or individual action.

Every other week students put together a fifteen-minute presentation on a national or international topic, and present it to the rest of the class. So far the Chilean Student Protests, the Kyoto Protocol, the Canadian federal government system, as well as the Canadian Omnibus Crime Bill (Safe Streets and Communities Act) have all been examined during the Civic Action Group’s lunchtime meetings. During the discussion period afterwards, all students are given the opportunity to give their views and opinions. This dialogue between the students gives fresh insight.

In a merging of local and environmental concerns, the group has also begun boosting the Ballenas recycling program, expanding the list of items available for recycling to include compostables and soft plastics. Lili Simon, Environment chair, says: “I think it’s really important for us to focus upon what we can do locally, and from there expand on what we can do internationally, to help our planet.”

Also in the works are several environmental education sessions, which will include members of the group presenting both at Ballenas and at other local schools. Discussed will be the current status, and apparent future, of several endangered Canadian species, the effects of climate change on the Canadian environment as well as an in-depth look at the steps taken towards combating climate change by Canadian governments. “We really believe that education is key in ensuring that we can all begin to move forward to tackle the issues that are facing us now and that will play important roles in our futures,” says Hayley Milne, “and we hope that us sharing our knowledge and passion will kindle the interests of others.”

While the Civics Action Group has given a forum to individuals to speak out and address issues, perhaps one of its greatest achievements is showing the ability of youth to make a difference, and proving that age poses few boundaries that can’t be swept aside by the strength of determination, will power and belief that many of the Civics Action Group display.

“Civics Action Group has provided me with incredible knowledge on current events on a political environmental and global scale. I’ve learnt how to better communicate with my peers and it’s given me insight on youth’s role in changing society today.”
- Nic Annau

Student Voice influences the future of Education in BC

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:23:00 -0800

A recent Vancouver Sun article from December 13, 2011 outlines plans to overhaul British Columbia’s education system. The BC Education Plan, which was launched by Minister of Education George Abbott at Student Voice’s Fall 2011 meeting, emphasizes personalized learning and a focus on technology.

From the article:

It’s worth noting, too, that the genesis for the plan appears to have arisen from education’s main clients: students. Based on a report to emerge last spring from a representative gathering known as the “BC Student Voice,” their opinions are consistent and clear.

In Learning in the 21st Century, students wrote that they favoured expanding the role of technology as “a seamless extension of what they are already doing,” and “education individually catered to each person.”

Overall, they seem comfortable about a significantly modified version of schooling, reporting a “need for education to be less rigid,” and that “the concept of students as a homogeneous group sitting in a classroom listening to a teacher present material is outdated.”

Apparently, Minister Abbott joined the student meeting last spring and was so impressed with what he heard that he returned to his office determined to create the new plan.

Read the full article from The Vancouver Sun

Here’s the original BC Student Voice report “Learning in the 21st Century”:

Kudos to the students!

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:22:00 -0800

On a rainy November morning I walked into the offices of the BC Principals and Vice-Principals Association not knowing what to expect. Sure I’ve been to other codeathons, or hackathons as the events are also called, but I’d never been to an event where students were the majority of the audience.

After an introduction and brainstorming session from Brent Munro of the BC Ministry of Education, the students were off and running, looking for data and trying to wrestle their ideas into a manageable form to avoid being overwhelmed by possibilities.

After searching the DataBC website for data and a bit of Google-Fu, they found the data and the tools and set to the real work of turning data into information.

And they did great! They crafted a scholarship finder to make it easier to figure out how to ease post-secondary school debt, they mapped school locations and SkyTrain crime statistics to name two projects.

Was the day a success? I’d say so. The students were able to see what data could do for themselves, their classmates and their parents.

And for some, it was their first view into a world that perhaps they would have otherwise never seen. And isn’t that what learning is all about? I think so.

Well done everyone. Thanks to the BC Principals and Vice-Principals Association and the Ministry of Education for pulling the event together.

David Wrate
Citizen Engagement Director
Province of British Columbia

The Codeathon Newsletter

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:25:00 -0800

Have your say in the new BC Education Plan

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:54:18 -0800

Have your say in the new BC Education Plan:

The Ministry of Education wants your help in shaping the future of Education in BC. Make your voice heard!

BC Student Voice was in action at British Columbia’s first...

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:58:00 -0800

BC Student Voice was in action at British Columbia’s first student codeathon on Nov. 7, 2011. The Ministry of Education and the BC Principals’ and Vice-Principals’ Association co-hosted the event, which brought together students with the purpose of promoting awareness of open data, information that can be extracted from raw data, and creation of new applications from the data.

Almost 50 students travelled from across the southeast Kootenays...

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:17:54 -0800

Almost 50 students travelled from across the southeast Kootenays for their Student Voice regional conference on November 16th. Students came from as far as Invermere and district administrators and trustees also attended.

Were you there? Share your stories by submitting a post!

Like Student Voice on Facebook!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:39:53 -0800

Like Student Voice on Facebook!

"Pioneering into the world of coding opened a new world to me, that of discovering data and learning..."

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:30:00 -0800

“Pioneering into the world of coding opened a new world to me, that of discovering data and learning to use it efficiently in ways that could make a difference to my community.”

- Dayah Johal, Grade 12, Hugh McRoberts Secondary, Richmond

Creating Solutions with Open Data at the Student Voice Codeathon

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:58:00 -0800

The Ministry of Education and the BC Principals and Vice-Principals Association teamed up to host the first ever BC student Codeathon on November 7th 2011 at the BC Principals and Vice Principals Office in Vancouver. The purpose of the event was to gain and collect data from different places and put them all together in a useful and organized way to help other students, teachers and our fellow citizens in making their everyday lives just a bit easier.

There are a vast majority of issues and problems which we as students want to influence which are meant to be heard by others. Throughout the day we tackled a small portion of these problems with teams and created four (4) different solutions to our daily road blocks. These projects were mostly focused on the High School Student life which included a School and Transit Map answering the question – how far do I have to carry my text books each morning and afternoon? A scholarship finder, helping the average Grade 12 student find more specific post-secondary entrance scholarships, bursaries and applications. A School, Crime and Transit map to keep us safe by informing us of which Vancouver transit stops are plagued by crime and finally the Map Your School project, helping new students, student-teachers, substitute teachers and parents navigate through a new unfamiliar school.

Throughout the day, I learned that the opportunities of open data and the opportunities which you can create are endless. However, we must not wait to perfect our project, but to rather start small, share your ideas, blog about them, tweet about them and gain ideas and insights from others. Surely, if you need help, there is someone out there who has the ability to help you move your project forward. We all have learned so much from the experience and we hope to share our thoughts and ideas within our schools and districts in the near future.

- Som Ghosh, Grade 12, Hugh McRoberts Secondary, Richmond, BC

BC Student Voice Codeathon

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:55:00 -0800

BC Student Voice Codeathon

Fall 2011 Meeting Newsletter

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:19:00 -0800

Fall 2011 Meeting Newsletter - by Harold Krische

The First BC Student Voice Codeathon

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:51:00 -0800

November 7, 2011

“Coding, what’s that?” I thought when I was invited to the first local Student Codeathon. I arrived at the BC Principals and Vice Principals office in Vancouver on Monday morning ready to learn something new. Armed with only my laptop and my creativity, I quickly realized that those were the only things I needed to embark on a day full of brainstorming, researching, innovating and accomplishing.

Exploring the world of coding, learning to harness raw data and then transforming it into something practical like a website or mobile application was something I never thought I could do until I attended the Student Codeathon!

With a group of other students, we collaborated to create an accessible, user-friendly way to help high school students apply for entrance scholarships into local post secondary institutions. This project was like hitting two birds with one stone for a grade 12 student such as myself! Not only were we creating a solution to a problem relevant to others my age, a difficulty finding postsecondary information quickly and in one place, but I was also able to learn more about the amazing educational opportunities offered right here close to home.

During my few hours at the Student Codeathon, we were we able to start our scholarship project which could potentially help hundreds of students continue their education, and we also met amazing people like the Minister George Abbot, members of the Ministry of Education and members of the Ministry of Labour, with whom we shared our ideas. We were also mentored by experienced programmers and software developers themselves, such as Luke Closs and David Eaves who started the Recollect application right here in Vancouver!

Pioneering into the world of coding opened a new world to me, that of discovering data and learning to use it efficiently in ways that could make a difference to my community.

- Dayah Johal, Grade 12, Hugh McRoberts Secondary, Richmond

Codeathon Photos

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:42:00 -0800

BC Student Voice in the Vancouver Sun

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:59:00 -0800

BC Student Voice in the Vancouver Sun:

Vancouver Sun education reporter Janet Steffenhagen blogs about the new BC Education Plan that was announced at the Fall 2011 Student Voice meeting.

North Vancouver Superintendent Blogs about Student Voice!

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:48:00 -0800

North Vancouver Superintendent Blogs about Student Voice!:

John Lewis, Superintendent of North Vancouver School District 44, talks about the experiences of North Vancouver students at the Fall 2011 Voice meeting.