New wheels donated for Victoria Park’s driver training program

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on October 13, 2022.

Herald photo by Ry Clarke Daren Heyland and a group of students take to the streets for the first time in the new driver education vehicle Wednesday at Victoria Park High School.

Students at Victoria Park High School will be hitting the streets with their new set of wheels thanks to a $15,000 donation from the Latter Day Saints of Lethbridge.

The GMC Terrain will be used in the school’s driver-training program to help students get the training they need to get their driver’s license and cruise the city.

“This emerged from a meeting that we had with the principal and vice-principal of the school, where we were trying to help make our community a better place,” said Daren Heyland, communication director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, during a press event at the school on Wednesday. “We wanted to make a contribution to the well-being of students in the school […] Not having a driver’s license not only impairs your physical mobility of getting from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’, but your social mobility and your ability to get to a job.”

Working to build on that momentum of helping students learn to drive, Victoria Park is asking the community to volunteer their time to help towards getting students more road time. By going to justserve.com and searching by city or Youth Driver Experience Program, the community can sign up to help ride shotgun with students.

“If there are people out there who think this might be a good opportunity for them to ride with students who are learning to drive, and they have the patience to do so, go to the website and check out the posting and respond,” said Rod Scott, vice-principal for Victoria Park.

The school is proud to have a program that helps their students excel, and is happy to help educate in life skills.

“The project is really meaningful for us as staff and community,” said Scott. “At Victoria Park we like to have students move towards their preferred future. One way we do that is trying to identify barriers that are out there for students, and attempt to remove those as best we can. One thing we noticed, and it seems to be a growing issue, is students tend not to get their learner’s license or their driver’s license. We thought we will see what we can do to remedy that. That’s something that a lot of our students don’t have access to is a vehicle, a family vehicle or even a friend-supplied vehicle. They lack that experience.”

Now students will gain the experience and confidence they need to take their road test and feel comfortable on the roads.

“It means a lot to me, I’m really excited. I’m an independent student and don’t really have access to practice,” said Anneka Schoof, a Grade 12 student. “I haven’t had much time behind the wheel. I do have my learner’s, I’ve had it for a little while, I just don’t really get to use it. No vehicle and nobody to take me out or teach me.”

Victoria Park is also appreciative of Subaru of Lethbridge’s commitment to help with the future of the vehicle.

“They are doing all the maintenance from here on out, for no charge. Which helps us out tremendously, we don’t have bottomless pits of money in education, so any bit helps,” said Scott. “Any time we can remove barriers for kids and see them succeed as is, that’s what it’s all about.”