Wolf Creek Public Schools signs new Indigenous partnership

PONOKA -- A new portable welding lab will be coming to Ponoka Secondary Campus.

This comes as Wolf Creek Public Schools has formalized a new partnership with Metrax Indigenous Corporation aimed at expanding access to skilled trades programming for Indigenous students and removing transportation barriers that often limit participation.

The plans for the new portable welding lab were finalized in early January, when division leaders and members of the Education Services team, along with two WCPS Elders, met with representatives from Metrax Indigenous to sign a Memorandum of Understanding.

"This agreement is about more than a single program," said Superintendent of Schools Tim De Ruyck. "It is about creating meaningful, culturally respectful pathways that allow students to see themselves in the work they are doing and, in the futures, they are building. By bringing this programming directly to Ponoka Secondary Campus, we are removing barriers and opening doors."

De Ruyck says the new agreement will support on-site welding programming delivered by an Indigenous instructor, creating a locally accessible pathway into the trades. He adds that bringing the portable welding lab directly to the school is expected to improve both participation and retention.

"Access matters," said De Ruyck. "When students can learn close to home, with instructors who understand shared culture and community, the likelihood of engagement and success increases dramatically. This partnership has the potential to grow into other areas of skilled trades and applied learning across the division."

The MOU also outlines a shared commitment to explore future programming in areas such as carpentry, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and landscaping, in order to create a broader network of career pathways for Indigenous students both in and out of school.

In addition to the signing of the new MOU, Ponoka Secondary Campus student Kyson Samson received funding support from Metrax Indigenous and the local Rotary Club to help offset the cost of an upcoming school trip to Spain.