Students at Dr. Brass School in Yorkton have received a helping hand for the new school year.
Last Wednesday morning each of the 141 students enrolled at the school received a new knapsack filled with school supplies, thanks to SaskPower.
Tom Kindred, vice-president & Chief Information Officer with SaskPower said the Crown Corporation understands the importance of education in terms of providing staff into the future.
"If you don't have Grade 12 it's very difficult to get a job in SaskPower," he said.
Kindred said SaskPower recognizes the importance of giving children the best chance to learn, and the donation is a way to ensure all students in the school "start the year on an equal playing field."
Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit said helping students have a good school experience is important because education is a major element is ensuring they have opportunities in the future. He said educated children have greater hope for the future,
"It's (education) very important It's the way to do better and better in life through knowledge and education," he said.
The supplies in the knapsacks came from SaskPower's 2,600 staff, said Kindred.
"They donated all your school supplies for the year," he told the assembly of students Wednesday.
Kindred said in total 30,000 school supply items, including things such as pencils, erasers and notebooks were supplied to the school.
School principal Tami Hall said there was more to the donation that a bunch of knapsacks.
"More important than supplies is the message people care about us," she said.
Kindred said SaskPower began the program in 2009, with a school in North Battleford, and this year Dr. Brass was randomly selected. He said a school must meet three criteria; it must have 30 per cent First Nations/Métis population, it must be a community school, and it must be in a community with a SaskPower presence.
