Building to support construction & maritime trades at Vancouver Public Schools with the Endeavour Fund

Members of the community gathered Tuesday to break ground on the construction of a new building to support Vancouver Public Schools’ (VPS) students. This building will provide more space for the current construction trades magnet program and will also add a new pathway for VPS students to explore the maritime industry. 

Mark Wreath, director of college & career readiness for VPS, said this about the project, “I am incredibly proud to be a part of this project.  This new building symbolizes our communities commitment to equipping students with the skills needed for success after high school in the local workforce. Through the support of private donors, community partners, and our school district, we are creating pathways to family wage jobs for all students, ensuring a prosperous future for our community.”

“It has been inspiring to see the community rally to make this project a reality. We are acutely aware of how quickly this all came together. That in and of itself is incredible. Yet, without the financial support from the Endeavour Fund, this project would not have been able to come to fruition so quickly. We are so grateful and appreciative for the support from the Endeavour Fund,” comments Jenny Thompson, executive director of the Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools (FVPS).

When we asked the Endeavour Fund why they chose to give so generously they said, “We strive to ignite positive change that prioritizes youth and educational opportunities. The Endeavour Fund works collaboratively, seeking to empower our community to generate platforms for future generations.”

In a time when we know we need more people to enter the trades workforce, seeing a new building like this come together is exciting to see. What makes this project so special is that FVPS and their partners were able to develop a roadmap for how other schools could also pursue a project like this too, with a quicker than usual turnaround.

The hope is that the new building at Hudson’s Bay High School will open for students this coming fall.

The Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools is an independent, 501(c)3 educational non-profit corporation established in 1988 to support Vancouver Public Schools (VPS). Governed by a volunteer board of directors made up of business, community, and education leaders, the foundation creates opportunities to cultivate and inspire student success. As an educational non-profit entity, the foundation serves students at all 40 VPS schools and programs, providing direct aid to students facing learning barriers due to economic need, as well as financial assistance for learning enrichment and mentoring programs that cannot be funded by the school district. The Foundation for VPS is supported by donations from school employees, parents, students, community members, businesses and foundations.

Information provided by Vancouver Public Schools.