Sun West students to join Alberta FACES program as division explores local rollout

By Your Southwest Media Group

Twenty students and five teachers from Sun West School Division will take part in the Alberta FACES program this summer as the division evaluates bringing a similar initiative to Saskatchewan.

FACES is an experiential education program that combines personal development with a wilderness expedition. Participants take part in a six-day backcountry journey focused on leadership, wellness and self-awareness. Activities include hiking and land-based learning near the PEAKS Campus in the Crowsnest Pass in the Rocky Mountains.

Exploring new horizons: Sun West trustees and staff gather with representatives from the FACES program following a presentation to the Board of Education on March 24. The division is sending 20 students and five teachers to Alberta this summer to experience the leadership and wilderness-based program as it considers developing a similar initiative locally. SUBMITTED

The program is delivered through Alberta’s Livingstone Range School Division and typically involves about 600 high school students each year.

Sun West officials approached FACES earlier this year to explore a partnership. The agreement will see a smaller group of Sun West students and staff attend this summer to gain firsthand experience and help assess how a comparable program could be developed locally.

“This will be a wonderful experience for the teachers and students who attend FACES this year,” said Sun West Director of Education Darryl Seguin. “We think this will be an excellent way for Sun West to learn how to best approach developing a FACES program here.”

Representatives from FACES presented to the Sun West Board of Education on March 24 as part of those early discussions.

If successful, the initiative could lead to a made-in-Sun West version of the program aimed at building leadership skills and resilience among students through outdoor, hands-on learning.