Nanaimo-Ladysmith students will be game for music, athletics and extra-curriculars after the B.C. government granted $290,000 in lottery revenue money.
Nanaimo District Secondary School ($31,740), Dover Bay Secondary ($29,940) and Wellington Secondary ($19,780) were among Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools parent advisory councils receiving community gaming grant money, the B.C. Ministry of Municipal Affairs announced Dec. 15. Money is to be spent on equipment and costs associated with extra-curriculars, according to a press release.
Jennifer Therriault, NDSS parent advisory council chairperson, said the council takes requests from various school groups and approximately 25 per cent of total funding goes to athletics for tournament entry fees.
Requests are vetted with the school principal, and in the past, money has also gone toward field trips and technology.
“Last year, one of our new teachers started a virtual reality club and asked for support because that equipment is so expensive,” said Therriault. “It was to support buying a virtual reality headset and … computer equipment that would would allow it to work.”
Brianne Podritske, Wellington Secondary PAC chairperson, said money will go to student groups including basketball, volleyball and golf teams, outdoor, robotics and eco clubs and Wellington Jazz Academy.
“We support them in their many festivals that they enter,” said Podritske. “They have lots of trips and actually just entering the festivals and competitions costs quite a bit of money as well, let alone travel or any of the other expenses like getting [specialized] musicians in to help coach and teach the kids.”
In order for PAC groups to qualify, they must submit a gaming revenue report. In all, $291,340 was distributed to PACs from 34 district and non-district schools across Nanaimo-Ladysmith.