Coyote, the Trickster
June 2, 2020
Trickster stories are common among various Indigenous nations. While there are some cross-cultural similarities of tricksters amongst nations, each nation will have its own unique trickster and stories. Coyote is considered a trickster to both Syilx Okanagan and Secwepemc peoples. Coyote is often breaking the rules and bringing teachings through his adventurous mishaps. These teachings have strong ties to local societal ...
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K’nmaĺka? Sənqâĺtən garden
June 1, 2020
Stepping along the bark mulch path of K'nmaÄşka? SÉ™nqâĺtÉ™n, navigating through the dense brush of salmon berry and olive trees, visitors get a rare opportunity to step into a space filled with traditional plants significant to Syilx Okanagan people.K'nmaÄşka? SÉ™nqâĺtÉ™n (Kalamalka Garden) is an Indigenous garden created in 2017 through a unique collaboration among the Okanagan Indian Band (Elders and community members), AVĚěĚĂ and the Food Action Society of the North Okanaga...
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Kelowna Mayor, WFN Chief shave their heads for health care
May 29, 2020
With their wives wielding clippers, Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran and Westbank First Nation Chief Christopher Derickson expressed a hint of apprehension for the looming buzz cuts they’d committed to, but not an ounce of regret for the profile they’ve been able to raise for a cause near and dear to their hearts. Both leaders were able to raise more than $10,000 each for AVĚěĚĂ’s Haircuts for Health Care campaign and, having met their fundraising goals, met up in the College’s courtyard recently for a physically-distanced buzz cut fro...
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Kelowna Chevrolet invests in health professionals
May 28, 2020
Kelowna Chevrolet is investing in future health care professionals, with a $50,000 donation to the Our Students, Your Health campaign for a new Health Sciences Centre at AVĚěĚĂ. Kelowna Chevrolet Dealer Partner Ian Speckman says he felt a responsibility to support the state-of-the-art Health Sciences Centre that will train health care professionals for the region. “As we’re all realizing, health care professionals are essential for our community,” says Speckman. “This is about supporting students so they can get the right train...
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Contest winner inspired to help others
May 26, 2020
When Brittani Sali answered the phone and learned she was the winner of a $5,000 tuition giveaway contest, she thought she might be dreaming. The 22-year old was just waking up, and she hadn’t been expecting the call from local radio announcer B Mack. Lucky for Sali, winning the tuition giveaway towards any health program at AVĚěĚĂ wasn’t a dream. The 22-year old was among one of 80 people who entered the contest, which was sponsored by the Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund, in partnership with Virgin Radio and the Okanagan C...
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College’s Camp OC cancelled for 2020
May 25, 2020
COVID-19 concerns are leading AVĚěĚĂ to cancel its Camp OC summer camp offerings for 2020. “We have been closely monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation,” said Dr. Dennis Silvestrone, director of Continuing Studies and Corporate Training for AVĚěĚĂ. “And given what we understand about safety and limitations, we have made the decision to cancel Camp OC this summer.” “It is a very difficult decision for us, and one made with the best interests of all our campers, students, staff and our surrounding communities in mind...
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AVĚěĚĂ hosts virtual info session on Tourism Management diploma program
May 25, 2020
Set at the foot of the picturesque Columbia Mountains and home to a growing array of four-season tourism operators and activities, where better to advance your career in the tourism industry than Revelstoke? On May 27, prospective students can attend a virtual information session to learn more about AVĚěĚĂ’s Tourism Management diploma. The program, which debuted last year, is set for a September start at the College’s Revelstoke Centre and combines hands-on learning in the tourism sector with applied business courses. The vir...
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College’s Therapist Assistant program earns new national accreditation
May 22, 2020
As career goals go, what could be more meaningful than improving someone’s quality of life? For therapist assistants, it’s more than a goal, it’s a daily reality – and you’ll find these in-demand health professionals supporting people’s rehabilitation in a vast array of settings. This spring, AVĚěĚĂ’s Therapist Assistant Diploma (TAD) program – which has been educating Physical therapist assistants (PTA), Occupational therapist assistants (OTA) and Recreation therapist assistants (RTA) for almost 30 years – has earned a new fea...
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Drawing together: College and industry gather virtually to celebrate animation students
May 21, 2020
If there was ever a time to get animated, this was it – albeit with a virtual twist.While COVID-19 may have altered the format for the ceremony, it couldn’t dampen the excitement as studios from across the valley joined AVĚěĚĂ this week in recognizing the newest soon-to-be grads from its Animation diploma program.At the OC Animation department’s second-annual Industry Night on May 13, a group of second-year students on their way to graduation and first-year students who have now crossed the half-way mark of their program were cele...
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Meet Justina LeeStolz
May 15, 2020
Justina LeeStolz is a real estate professional in the Okanagan and also runs several passion projects. One of those projects is the 100AwesomePeople project that LeeStolz launched to celebrate the many awesome people in the community. The project, podcast and YouTube channel highlight the businesses and side hustles that have gone to great lengths to make a social impact in the Okanagan. Many of the awesome people that LeeStolz has highlighted are fellow OC alums, and staff from t...
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