Years from now, when Noah Klager has achieved his career ambition and is working as an engineer building rockets or space station components for NASA, he might think back to the day he introduced his classmates at Prince George Secondary School to the wonders of 3-D printing.
His display at PGSS's Capstone Celebration was the culmination of a four-credit course now required of graduating Grade 12 students in B.C. Using a 3-D printer he bought for $300, Klager was using a spool of plastic the printer melts into microscopically-thin layers to create a whistle. For most of his fellow students it was their first time to see that kind of technology in action and it drew a steady stream of interest.
"They didn't know what it was so when they came up and I told them it was 3-D printer and they were blown away, just like I was with the technology," said Klager. "I was looking at YouTube videos and you see people playing around making projects with it I realized I wanted to get unto it too and realized I could get an affordable one and jumped into it.
"I had it as a hobby at home and having the opportunity to share it and show something maybe most of my classmates didn't know about was very interesting and awesome."
The Capstone Celebration is part of a province-wide curriculum change brought in two years ago and this is the year it's being introduced in B.C. highs schools. Klager likes the idea, saying it helps students focus on what they might like to pursue as a career opportunity.
"It is a good idea, it makes people look back and look forward at what they want to do and kind of solidifies their plans," he said. "On regular (school) days you might not enjoy everything you're doing but when you get an opportunity to choose your topic on something you really enjoy you can thrive on that and actually express it."
Just around the corner from Klager's display, Brooke Perepeluk had a video cued up on a TV screen to help her explain what cerebral palsy is all about. The 17-year-old sister of Prince George Cougars forward Reid Perepeluk took the opportunity to explain to her schoolmates that the part of her brain which controls movement, balance and posture doesn't work the way it should and that's why she needs a wheelchair.
"It's all about my disability, cerebral palsy, and I'm just talking about how it affects my daily routine," said Perepeluk. "I was born premature at 24 weeks and I was a healthy baby and then I got sick and the doctors had to bring me back. I got a lack of oxygen in my brain and there was some damage."
Most of the visitors to Perepeluk's display didn't know what cerebral palsy was and that it does not affect intellectual development, a common misconception because it can affect the muscles which control speech.
"I want to educate them," she said. "It's just physical, nothing's wrong with me mentally. I feel like people think if you have a disability you can't do everything but you can if you go and try it. I want to go to (the College of New Caledonia) and do social work."
Similar to a science fair, the Capstone Celebration encourages students to bring their interests, community connections and career learning ambitions to life with the visual displays they brought to the PGSS gym Tuesday afternoon.
Jackson Parish displayed the trike engine he rebuilt with his own hands. August Reed brought the horse she's raised from foal to adult the past six years. Melody Forbes also had a hands-on display featuring two roosters from her parents' hobby farm near Tabor Lake, where they breed chickens, mini doll sheep and Kunekune pigs. Forbes held one of her preening roosters and he was relishing the attention and pats on the back the students were giving him.
"A lot of people are scared of roosters but I know they're actually really friendly," said Forbes. "The amount of time we spend with them kind of changes their character. He's just really chill and sits in people's laps."
"We were kind of forced to do this (graduation project). Then you don't feel uncool to say what your hobby is or what you like doing."
After she graduates Forbes plans to go to Capenwray Bible School in Australia and eventually become an elementary school teacher. She knows how much work is required and how committed she would have to be to provide care for all those animals and has no desire to take over the farm from her parents.
"It's so much work and I see my parents stressed out and not able to do all the fun things they want to do," said Forbes. "It would be great if we didn't have so many animals. You have to find a farm-sitter if you do go away for a weekend."
Tia Herzig made cheerleading her Capstone topic. It's been her passion since she arrived at PGSS five years ago as a Grade 8 student and she was part of the Polars cheerleading team for three years, two as cheer captain. They entered competitions all over the province, culminated by a second-place provincial finish in the five-man team competition in Kelowna in April 2018.
For her Capstone display Herzig brought the plaque she won with her team at that event and also had a video of her flying high above her teammates showing off her gymnastic moves during their routine.
"People think it's not a sport but it is because it demands so much physically but also mentally because you have to realize it's not always about winning," Herzig said. "You have to put your body through a lot to be able to tumble and hold people up and in flying you have to have a lot of core strength."
The PGSS team disbanded shortly after that and ever since Herzig hasn't had the opportunity since then to show off her athleticism on the cheerleading mats. She plans to get back into it when she goes to university to study psychiatric nursing at the University of Alberta, which has a Level 5 cheerleading team.
Caley Leslie spent her Grade 10 and 11 years living in Vancouver, where she could play softball in a more competitive environment. This summer she helped the Kelowna Heat finish fifth at the under-19 provincial tournament and moved back to Prince George to graduate with her longterm school friends at PGSS.
Leslie's Capstone project was the recruitment video she compiled and sent to more than 50 NCAA and NAIA universities and junior colleges in the U.S. She received 15 replies and is leaning towards Orange Coast College in Cost Mesa, Calif., where she hopes to study psychology.
"It seemed like a good fit and I'm going there for an official visit in March and I'll see after that," said Leslie. "They have a good team, the coach played for four years at UCLA and won a national championship.
"I put a lot of work into my recruitment video but for my project it was pretty much done and I was pretty much ready for this. I do think it's a good idea to talk about what you're passionate about.
There are no high school classes in makeup design but that's been no obstacle for Taber Metz, an aspiring movie artist. She's already in high demand from her fellow students when it comes to face painting and adding her artistic flair for prom makeup and to produce realistic Halloween costumes.
"I've always loved makeup and I wasn't allowed to wear it when I was younger, so it pushed me to love it more," said Metz. "Once I started to really get into it my mom would buy me little kits and I'd play with it all the time and now, any time I get, I just play with it and create different looks. I want to go into the movies and the beauty aspect of it and learn how to do airbrushing and special effects. It's kind of hit or miss and if you're good, people will pick you (for jobs)."
Metz brought photographs of some her handiwork for her Capstone display and talked to students about her career ambitions. Next year she's moving to Vancouver to take a one-year makeup artistry program at Blanche MacDonald Centre.
"I have a lot of cool eye looks that I do that I really enjoy and I also really like doing Halloween makeup," Metz said. "Makeup is really hard to photograph."
More high school Capstone Celebrations are upcoming in January. Career Technology Training (CTC) students will get their chance to shine on Wednesday, Jan 15 at CNC. D.P. Todd Secondary School will host its Capstone event on Thursday, Jan. 16.
"The kids knocked it out the park," said Amber Hannigan, the PGSS careers co-ordinator. "It's so cool because some of our kids, who aren't necessarily the most academic, have come up with the most fabulous projects. Maybe school isn't exactly their thing and they don't fit in that box but that doesn't mean they aren't credible. PGSS students have so many diverse interests and it was awe-inspiring seeing their passions on display.
"I am a proud teacher today."
