SparkFest – Sparkling Inspiration

Why do teens vape and how can we help youth make healthy choices around substances?

Most teenagers are well aware of the dangers of vaping, but do it anyway. Our student, Sophia Coopman, tried to find out why young people start to, and continue to, vape despite the many health concerns, and how we can encourage youth to make healthier choices for...

What the Heck is Social-Emotional Learning?

This week we celebrated Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Day. You’ve probably seen us using the term, but what does SEL really mean and how do we integrate it into our programs? In schools, the main focus is often aimed at academics, but emotional intelligence is...

Healthy Risk Taking is about Growing and Developing

Teenagers crave and seek risks. It helps them to develop and grow. We often think of risk-taking as dangerous, but risk-taking is not always negative. Healthy risk-taking – like hiking up a mountain, riding a unicycle, or performing on stage – helps kids build...

Never too Young to Remember December 6

On December 6th, 1989, the day that fourteen young women at l’École Polytechnique in Montreal were killed by a gunman as a deliberate act of violence against women, Quinn Mulherin (21, she/they*) wasn’t born yet. She learned about the tragedy years later when she...

The Past and the Future of the Core (Inn)

Salt Spring Island does not have a lot of facilities to accommodate young people, but we do have The Core (Inn) on McPhilipps Avenue. It is a safe place where island youth can come together to hang out, play music and games, and where snacks and healthy food are...

“To See Kids Open Up, is Massive’

Valeskca San Martin, a French immersion teacher at Salt Spring Elementary, has had the Respect Program – former Respectful Relationships - in her classroom for almost a decade. She sees social-emotional learning as an essential addition to the academics that are...

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