This year, Buck Mountain Central School has been granted the opportunity to provide their students just a little more support through the Life Skills Program. Making our way through the eight broad areas of human development within “The Development Assets” program, our Life Skills Coach has worked closely with the students to teach the essentials. Our focus is to support students where they are, contribute to the healthy development of our young people, and ensure they have skills leaving our building that will lead them to become successful adults.
Some key skill building that we are focusing on include:
- Students knowing they are cared for and valued
- Ensuring students have a positive self identity and believe in their own self-worth
- Students feel safe and respected in our school and have clear boundaries and expectations
- Working to foster social competencies and develop communication skills so students can effectively interact with others
- Give students the opportunity to practice making decisions within the community as well as learning to cope with life transitions
We are also supporting the skill of community connection by giving students the opportunity to volunteer in the Buck Lake/Alder Flats/Winfield area. Our community projects so far have included helping with Santa’s Anonymous baskets, decorating the local hall for Christmas functions, delivering baked goods to local businesses who support our school, shoveling snow for senior residents in the Buck Lake area, and baking treats for community meetings that take place at the Alder Flats Seniors Center. Below are comments made by students and residents who have been supported through the program.
“Volunteering in your community can have a positive affect, not only for the community but for the volunteers.”
“ It helps to lift the confidence of students and it makes them feel good. “
“ Shovelling snow for the elderly was a positive experience and I would definitely volunteer to do it again.”
“We really appreciate the students coming to shovel our walks. It is nice to see the students in our community doing acts of kindness”
“We are impressed with the maturity and respect the students showed while helping sort the food for Santa’s Anonymous”
