Specialist High Skills Major

Engage your Students with Experiential Learning

We offer high school students experiential learning through our Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs. Sign-up your students for courses offered at various CVC conservation areas and urban parks in the watershed.

Programs Offered

Why do plants live where they live? Students will learn to recognize flora and what conditions they prefer to live in based on climate, soil conditions, habitat factors and more. They will also learn why some plants, like invasive species, aren’t always beneficial. Students will take action to reduce the impact of invasive species in nature or plant native plants to increase biodiversity and improve habitats in an urban greenspace or conservation area.

What does it take to succeed in the workplace? Many employers look for strong leadership skills that are adaptable in today’s ever-changing world. Through experiential learning, students will develop hard and soft skills to build their own leadership style. Through hands-on stewardship projects, students will understand what it takes to accomplish common goals using their and strengths as well as their peers.

By the end of this course, students will learn how to use a compass and GPS to navigate confidently. Activities include the basics of map interpretation and navigation skills, an outdoor compass scavenger challenge and using a GPS to monitor stewardship projects. Students will take part in a stewardship project to understand how this technology is used by environmental professionals.

CVC staff will lead an experiential learning activity and hands-on stewardship project at a local green space or conservation area. Students will learn how to communicate environmental science and concepts using props and equipment. They will apply their learning and plan an interpretive activity for their peers.

Can you see the forest for the trees? In this program, students will understand what it takes to manage individual trees and forest habitats. CVC staff will provide a tour of our nursery, learn how CVC manages forests and tap into technical and soft skills to assist with a habitat restoration project in an urban greenspace or conservation area.

CVC Certifications and Relevant SHSM Sector Links

SHSM Sectors	Leadership Skills	Plant Identification	Nature Interpreter	Forestry 101	Compass/Map/GPS
Agriculture	✔included	not included	not included	✔included	✔included
Arts & Culture	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Aviation/Aerospace	✔included	not included	not included	not included	✔included
Business	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Construction	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Energy	✔included	not included	not included	not included	✔included
Environment	✔included	✔included	✔included	✔included	✔included
Food Processing	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Forestry	✔included	✔included	✔included	✔included	✔included
Health & Wellness	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Horticulture & Landscaping	✔included	✔included	✔included	✔included	✔included
Hospitality & Tourism	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Information & Communication Technology	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Justice, Community Service & Emergency Services	✔included	not included	not included	✔included	✔included
Manufacturing	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Mining	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Non-profit	✔included	not included	✔included	✔included	✔included
Sports	✔included	not included	not included	not included	not included
Transportation	✔included	not included	not included	not included	✔included