SPRING 2010

Nearly 200 Converge for a Rousing 40th Anniversary

Box 1978, 100 Mile House, B.C. V0K 2E0 I Phone: (250) 395-3388 I Toll-free: 1-877-245-9191 I www.educo.ca I info@educo.ca

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An enthusiastic group of celebrants from near and far gathered at the school’s site July 9-12 for the biggest reunion Educo has ever hosted.

Stuart ClarkEduco Executive DirectorEduco 2009 — our 40th time around

the sun. It was a year of celebration,accomplishment, unique challenges andstrategic visioning and planning so thatEduco can carry on its important work formany more years.

And celebrate we did, on a sunnyweekend in July as nearly 200 guests whohave been a part of Educo over the yearsdescended on the site to participate in“Educofest”, the largest reunion gatheringEduco has seen.

Alumni from four decades of Educowere present, and many of our Junior andLeadership students had an opportunity tomeet Educo staff from throughout the agesas alumni participated in some of thecourse activities.

The weekend included a celebrationnight full of in-house entertainment by ourtalented community and ended with acommunity wide council meeting thatfocused on the challenges and opportu-nities of Educo.

The meeting provided the groundworkfor new strategies Educo is undertaking.

(For a closer look, see the “NewDevelopments for 2010” insert in thisnewsletter.)

As families faced economic challengesassociated with an unstable economy,Educo faced the challenge of maintaining asustainable revenue source as ourenrolment levels dropped lower thannormal.

The “Soar 40 More” campaign wassuccessfully launched in July andnumerous families and alumni donated to

LET YOUR SPIRIT SOAR — 2010

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Educo thanks the B.C. GamingBranch for the 2009 grant of$32,400. These funds were for threespecific areas of Educo activities.

! The Schools Program fundingassisted hundreds of studentscoming to Educo in the spring andfall.

! The Community InitiativesProgram provided funding for thePeter Skene Ogden SchoolLeadership Program and the CanimLake First Nations IntegratedLeadership Program.

! The Mentorship Programfunding allowed the continuation ofthis valuable program which brings100 Mile Junior youth andcommunity adults together in apowerful day of relationshipbuilding.

B.C. Gaming GrantGives Programs a Boost

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Big Year Ahead for Educo Board

the fund that supported our short-termneeds. We are extremely grateful toeverybody who supported us during thattime. Thanks to your support, Educo hasdeveloped a financial sustainability plan tocreate more resilience for our organization,and more options for families in adepressed economy. New developmentsinclude the creation of a tiered pricingstrategy and a Student Foundation.

Educo is in an exciting period ofgrowth! In this newsletter we areintroducing our new logo, and announcingthe imminent launch of a new website, aswell as the expansion of our summercourse.

New for 2010 is the addition of an All

Rock course and a second Leadershipcourse that rounds out our LeadershipDevelopment Program. Along with thesechanges, we are involved in many conver-sations with educational organizationsabout how Educo’s work can reach morecommunities and people in B.C. andbeyond.

On behalf of the whole organization,from our recent students to our alumnicommunity of 40 years, I would like tothank all of you for continuing to besupportive, dedicated and amazing people.We could not be where we are todaywithout you. If you would like any moreinformation on our plans and goals, orwould like to discuss opportunities on howto get involved, please give us a callanytime.

Board of DirectorsAt last year’s AGM, we added two new

board members and one previous boardmember stepped down. Ben Harapat, akaThe Granola King, decided to leave theboard due to business requirements. Wethank Ben for his many contributions toEduco while on the board, not to mentionan ongoing generous supply of granola.

Anna Horel and Brent Goodman joinedthe team. Brent has a long history withEduco, and Anna, his life partner, sharesBrent’s passion for Educo and for thedevelopment of youth.

As the board representing an organi-zation undergoing major changes, we havejumped on the opportunity to evaluate ourapproach and find common workingground within our membership.

The Educo board recently convened inSummerland, B.C. to visit our roots,strengthen our foundation and explore newpossibilities. This experience helped todefine our role as the Educo board and willhelp us to serve in this capacity withconfidence. We are united in guiding ourorganization through change successfully.

To assist in fulfilling our responsi-

bilities we will introduce monthlymeetings of the board. These will be intwo formats: direct face-to-face meetingsas in the past, and teleconferencingmeetings, probably through the use ofSkype. The meeting schedule for theremainder of our current term is: March 18(Skype), April 15 (Skype), andimmediately following the AGM, May 9.

Currently underway are a number ofimportant reviews. A risk managementteam has been formed to review ourorganization’s policies. A constitution andbylaw review is ongoing, ensuring that theorganization is fulfilling its responsibilitiesunder the Societies Act.

We are looking for a lawyer to act as anadvisor on legal matters. If you knowanyone who might be interested in beinginvolved with Educo in this capacityplease email anna@educo.ca. We are alsolooking for more board members to helpguide Educo’s future. Please contact theoffice in 100 Mile House if you areinterested.

We would like to thank everyone fortheir continued advice and support andlook forward to soaring 40 more!

Friends of Educo Enjoy Action-Packed 40th Reunion

2 EDUCO ADVENTURE SCHOOL

Stuart Clark, Educo’s Executive Director.

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The CKNW Orphans’ Fundawarded a $2,380 donation to theEduco Scholarship Fund in 2009.This generous donation assisted sixstudents to attend Educo in 2009.Thank you CKNW Orphans’ Fund!

Your membership is important tous! As a non-profit society we musthave a voluntary and broadly basedmembership involved in themanagement and control of thesociety. Cost of yearly membershipis $2 per individual or $5 per family.All members of the Educo Schoolsociety are eligible to vote in personat the AGM.

Mark May 9 for AGM

The Educo School AnnualGeneral Meeting will be held onSunday, May 9, 2010 after breakfastat the Educo site. All members of theEduco School society are eligible tovote in the AGM. For moreinformation contact the Educo officeor come to the site cleanup thatsame weekend and talk directly toone of the board members.

Students Get CKNW Boost

Are You a Member Yet?

You Can Have the ‘Time of Your Life’Will MillarIntermediate Boys, July 2009Educo has meant so much to me. In

2009 I went on a trip up into themountains with Educo. When you are withyour instructor and your peers, you have afeeling that you only get on rare occasions.You are so happy and so proud that you

did what you did. For 10 days I was in the wild, having

the time of my life. Six of those days wereon a hike, four were on the site rockclimbing, swimming in the lake, doinghigh ropes, low ropes, and games such asvirus. It’s not your average camp. It’s somuch more unique. At other camps I didn’thave the freedom to go into the wild.

Everyone in Educo is open andfriendly. Fellow students are among thefew that you can relate too. Thecounsellors are your friend; they arealways there for you.

I recommend this camp to people whowant to get out of the city and into thewilderness. I go to Educo because of allthe new ways that I learn to connect withmyself. It helps me with my independentways. I learned to push myself in manyways through mountain climbing, rockclimbing, rappelling, and tenting up in thewilderness with my friends. I recommendit to everyone who wants to pushthemselves like I did.

Daniela NardelliLeadership Dev. Program, July 2009My journey with Educo started when I

was 13 years old. Looking for a way topass some time in the summer, Iencountered a truly life-changingexperience. Five years later, I am thrilled tobe moving into a new role in the Educofamily, that of a young leader.

The Leadership program at Educocreates a seamless transition from themindset of a student to a leader. Itintegrates the old favourites at Educo withsome new and exciting surprises. Thischance to bond with the next generation ofEduco leaders was invaluable in my growth— both as a young adult and a future leaderin the Educo community.

I learned a valuable lesson: Educo is not a summer camp; it is a lifestyle. I chose toaccept Educo, and by doing so, chose to live a life of wonder, curiosity, joy andcommunion with the earth and my fellow man.

For those of you who have not attended Leadership, I challenge you to find thecourage within yourself. The Educo leaders, my leaders, have only enlightenment andtruth to teach.

Leadership Course is the Next Level

Educo wishes to thank theseorganizations for their generousdonations to Educo:! BC Camping Association! Carraresi Foundation! CKNW Orphans’ Fund! Martin Cecil Foundation! Mountain Equipment Co-op! South Cariboo Community

School Society! Speed Scene Enterprises Ltd.! The Emissaries BC

A Round of Applause

EDUCO ADVENTURE SCHOOL 3

Daniella Nardelli (left) encourages fellowstudents to consider the leadership course.

Heading off into the mountainousbackcountry of B.C. suits Will Millar just fine.

4 EDUCO ADVENTURE SCHOOL

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Kate MacLeod Departing Director of Program &

Staff DevelopmentWriting a farewell note to Educo is

difficult when the time, involvement andimpact on my life has been so tremendous.And yet what I have to say is so simple:Thank you.

My relationship with Educo startedfour years ago. And like any relationship itstarted with enthusiasm, trepidation,willingness and excitement. I waschallenged to grow, I was faced withobstacles, I cried a lot and laughed evenmore. My weaknesses became apparent,while my strengths were celebrated. Andnow all of the Educo lessons, moments,and memories will be assets in my life.

I came to Educo following my“personal legend” seeking my truth. Thisway of life isn’t necessarily easy, but it is

honest. My relationship with Educo hasbeen rich with challenge and abundantwith love for others and myself.

And so, Educo, you are one of the verybest things that has ever happened in mylife. You crept into my life unexpectedlyand ignited opportunity and opened myeyes at a time I needed it most. My heartwill always remain with Educo. Thelessons continue to unveil themselves, andI believe this will continue throughout mylife.

Some relationships are longer, someshorter, but all serve a lesson and all leavean impression. My impression of Educoremains as it did when I first arrived: You,Educo, are perfect!

To everyone in the Educo community,thank you for this time. Thank you for thisspace. Thank you for this growth.

Continue to live so well Educo.

Educo Years Won’t be Forgotten

Save the Date for OurAnnual Site Cleanup

May 8 & 9, 2010 are the datesfor the annual Educo site springclean. Bring your boundless energyand enthusiasm along with yoursleeping bag and warm clothes.Join with friends to help wake upthe site by cleaning, raking,checking over equipment and avariety of other jobs!

If you plan to arrive on Friday,May 7, please come after 6 p.m.,having had dinner. Food will besupplied Saturday and Sundayalong with accommodation.Children are welcome, but must beaccompanied by an adult.

Please email (info@educo.ca) orphone the office at (250) 395-3388or 877-245-9191 and advise us ifyou are coming so we have enoughfood for everyone. We look forwardto seeing you in May!

The Educo 6th AnnualCommunity Open House will beheld Sunday, May 30, 2010. Comevisit the beautiful Educo site, havelunch, play some games and try thehighs and climbing wall. ContactEduco by phone or email for detailsand registration.

Join in the Fun atAnnual Open House

Each year we print a list of the individual donors and volunteers who contribute in somany ways to the health and longevity of Educo. This year we’re happy to report that anabundance of new names has made the list too long to include in our newsletter.

But you haven’t been forgotten! Those generous individuals who donated time, energyand funds to Educo will now find their names listed on our website: www.educo.ca

As always, we can’t thank you enough for your support – it’s the cornerstone ofEduco’s success.

Just a reminder that it’s nevertoo early to enroll for a summerprogram at Educo. If you pay INFULL by April 30 you pay only 5%GST rather than 12% HST. You candownload our application form fromthe website: www.educo.ca

Enroll NowFor Summer Programs

Look Online for Educo’s Supporters

Kate MacLeod (back row, 4th from right) cherishes the experiences during her time on staff.

Introducing Educo CanadaStarting in 2010, the official name for the non-profitorganization will now be Educo Canada. As Educocontinues to get more involved in community projects,partnerships and international activities that are beyondthe scope of our summer and school programs, we havedecided to formally recognize our growth in a new namethat encompasses all that we do.

However, the name Educo Adventure School is not goinganywhere! The place that you’ve grown to love, includingthe dock, the high ropes, the swamp, the schoolprograms, the summer mountain trips, all your favouriteinstructors and the entire 100 Mile House show will allstill be Educo Adventure School as it has been since 1969.

The New LookWe are excitedto unveil ourtwo new logos!The designprocessinvolved manydesigners and a large group of former students and staffwho worked to establish an image of Educo that bestcaptured the essence of where we’ve come from andwhat we do. We have chosen a logo that is simple,creative,dynamic andrepresents aconnection tonature and asense ofadventure. We really like it, and we hope you do too!

Summer Course ChangesEduco is now offering two new courses: an “All Rock”course and a “Leadership II” course. All Rock focuses onrock climbing as a tool of self-reflection and characterdevelopment. Leadership II is part of the Leadership

Development Program, a two-part program that drawsforth powerful leadership skills relevant to today’ssociety. Full details of these programs, including pricesand dates, can be found on our course calendar on ourwebsite.

Our summer schedule has changed from our usualformat, and we now offer separate dates forintermediate and senior programs. This allows us tofocus more on the unique differences between theseprograms, so that students moving from intermediate tosenior are getting a different experience. Note that allcourses for both girls and boys are now offered only oncea summer. Please see our calendar or website for details.

Educo PresentationsTo help ensure as many youth as possible experienceEduco, we have set a goal of selling out our summercourses in 2010. To that end, we have developed an 11-minute video presentation that shows pictures of Educostudents on course, with some excellent music andwords from students and staff from the many years ofEduco programs.

We Could Use Your Help! Anyone interested in hosting a presentation at theirhome to other families that you know, or at a club,workplace or another audience that has parents orstudents interested in what Educo offers, is encouragedto contact us. We would love to team you up with otherfamilies, students and staff in your area to make thesepresentations meaningful and fun. You will get expertsupport and access to materials and the new video. Giveus a call if you would like to see more youth from yourcommunity attend Educo summer programs.

‘Soar 40 More’ ClubThe “Soar 40 More” campaign of last year involvedcontributing a minimum $100 and getting to sign yourname to our giant Soar 40 More flag. Our goal is to reach1,000 signatures.

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Some of the contributors to the Soar 40 More campaignchose a monthly donation option, contributing $10 to $25a month indefinitely. About 15 families or individuals nowcontribute easy monthly donations to Educo on theircredit card.

To carry on the momentum of the Soar 40 More initiative,we have created the Soar 40 More Club, a community ofsupporters contributing a minimum of $10 a month.Everyone who signs up for monthly donations will havetheir name added to the Soar 40 More flag and the moneywill go towards supporting Educo’s day-to-day operations.Since many people helping out in a small way can make abig impact, our goal is still to reach 1,000 names on theSoar 40 More flag.

To sign up for a monthly donation, visit our secure onlinedonation partner Canada Helps (www.canadahelps.org)and enter “Educo” in the search field.

The Student FoundationEduco has launched The Educo Student Foundation for2010. The Student Foundation will be a special fundreserved for students and families that cannot afford thefull costs of coming to one of our summer programs. Italso allows for us to continue providing a below-cost priceknown as the “subsidy price.” Partner organizations,foundations and private donors are supporting Educo inbuilding this fund.

If you would like to contribute to the Student Foundationto help send youth to Educo, please contact the Educooffice.

Educo Website Goes InteractiveIn March 2010, Educo will be launching a brand newwebsite. The new site will have very similar content butthe technology will be upgraded significantly. The newsite will feature a photo gallery, an interactive page wherestudents, staff and parents can read submitted Educostories in print and video, an online booking and paymentfeature and many other exciting features. A finalannouncement of the launch will occur when the site isready, which is currently expected to be late March.

A Guide to New Educo PricingAt Educo, we strive to offer high quality wildernessexperiences for youth that impact their lives in ameaningful way. We believe that every person who wishesto participate in our programs should be able to do so

despite any barriers.

For 2010, we are introducing a cutting-edge tiered pricingsystem that allows students and families to choose theprice that is right for them. Every program now has threeprice options to choose from which are described below.All students and families are free to choose the priceoption which is best for them and the decision will remainprivate.

This pricing strategy allows us to maintain the quality ofour programs while continuing to exceed current safetystandards and incorporate the outdoor industry’s ever-increasing costs of insurance, training and equipment.This is essential for us to remain competitive andsustainable and, most importantly, it will make ourprograms more accessible to more people.

If you have any questions about this pricing system orneed some guidance on choosing the right price for youand your family, please call us at our office and we will bemore than happy to help.

Please note: If we receive your payment in full by April 30,2010, you will pay 7% less than the listed prices. See ourPrice Summary for 2010 at: www.educo.ca/A_Guide_to_Educo_Pricing.pdf

Description of Price OptionsSupport Educo PriceThis price covers the full cost of attending an Educoprogram and supports the growth and reach of theorganization. This support includes building upgrades,equipment purchases, and also contributes to the EducoStudent Foundation which helps provide Educoexperiences to students and families who need financialassistance.Sustainability PriceThis price covers the full cost of attending an Educoprogram without contributing additional support towardthe growth of the organization or the StudentFoundation.Subsidy PriceThis price is approximately 30% below the full cost of anEduco program and is made possible by the Educo StudentFoundation, a fund set up to provide support for studentsand families who need financial assistance. Please selectthis price if you cannot pay the other prices and areunable to find other financial support.

NEW FOR EDUCO IN 2010