Ponoka County, Alta., May 2, 2024 - Mamawi Atosketan Native School (MANS), a private K-12 school north of Ponoka that serves the First Nations students of Maskwacis, Alta. exclusively, recently launched a carpentry track that allows students to shave a year off earning a professional carpentry designation. The peer leader of the class, designated by the instructor, is a girl on the honour roll who wants to run her own all-female construction company.  

The dual credit option in carpentry is available through a few high schools in Alberta, but only MANS offers it on campus. The Alberta Education approval came quickly because the instructor, Jonathan Belinsky, is both a red seal journeyman carpenter and a certified teacher with a permanent Alberta teaching certificate.

In July, the peer leader and other carpentry students will have the opportunity to introduce more Maskwacis youth to carpentry as peer mentors in a skateboard construction project open to community youth at large.

MANS’ dual credit program is an extension of the offerings of the Bird Construction Building Technologies Shop at MANS and made possible by the support of J. Richard Bird and the Ptarmigan Foundation.