May 4, 2020

While we all are doing our best to stay in isolation and manage the current reality, The Educational Partnership has adjusted to immediate COVID 19 needs. We are continuing to deliver our literacy program which has served to increase reading levels for over 20 years. Unfortunately, due to the economic downturn some of our funding has been decreased. In order to continue delivering our literacy program to elementary students and our trades program to high school students we are looking for alternate funding.

In the meantime, The Educational Partnership Foundation is continuing to work hard on program delivery across Alberta, expansion possibilities, researching funding options and planning our yearly fundraiser.

As COVID changed the education landscape, we quickly realized that our Reading… Give it a Shot! program could still be used by students and parents at home. In fact, we had teachers and parents asking if we could still provide the collector cards. We also wanted to help parents with home resources and compiled home-learning links so parents could access them in one easy location.

“As a charity, our organization works with a small but strong team. We are working from home and have the advantage of being nimble with the ability to turn on a dime,” explains Barb Simic, president and CEO of TEPF. “We are still sending out packages of our literacy collector cards to students and teachers across Alberta in order to increase literacy levels despite classes not being in session.”

While we were forced to suspend the Trades Careers classes in Calgary, Edmonton and Lethbridge we are working behind the scenes to secure expansion locations and trades disciplines. This year, our pilot program on the Piikani nation was so successful that we are now in the process of negotiating and organizing additional Indigenous programs that will be delivered once we move out of the COVID lock down.

“Our Trades Careers is proven to help struggling students graduate as well as start a career in trades. We were very disappointed to suspend our classes because the demand is high for trades training.,” explains Terrence Patrick, Program Director Trades Careers. “We are fulfilling students needs and addressing a trades shortage which is so important to the Alberta economy.  We can’t wait to start again so we can help as many students as possible.”

For our upcoming yearly fundraiser, the Legends for Learners Charity Golf Tournament date has been moved from August to September 21st. We know that once the lock down lifts, people will want to get together and have fun. What better way to celebrate than getting out onto the amazing Valley Ridge golf course with fabulous legends, great food and fantastic prizes – all in support of 700,000 students in Alberta!

“We wouldn’t be able to support education in Alberta without the generosity of all of our partners,” adds Barb. “We are very grateful to each and every one of them for their on-going support.” To see who our partners and donors are click here.