Lethbridge Polytechnic has received a significant donation from 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union. A $100,000 gift will help with student awards, youth initiatives and Coulee Fest. The money will be shared over the next three years.
“Trades and agriculture are the core of our community, and we are proud to offer our support to these programs and initiatives,” says 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union CEO Jason Sentes.
“Lethbridge Polytechnic shapes the futute of our community and creates an impactful legacy with every student that walks through their doors, and we are excited to be a part of that legacy.”
As part of the three-year deal, 1st Choice Savings will deliver $20,000 annually ($60,000 total) for student awards in the Bachelor of Agriculture Science degree program and the Agriculture Sciences diploma program.
Officials say this builds on a $55,000 commitment 1st Choice Savings made in 2022 when the awards were set up.
“By continuing to support student awards in our agriculture diploma and degree programs, 1st Choice Savings is acknowledging the importance of investing in the future of the industry,” says Byrne Cook, chair of the School of Agriculture.
The Lethbridge-based 1st Choice Savings has also committed $25,000 over three years to support the post-secondary’s Your Partner in STEM initiative. It introduces K-12 students to career options in the trades. The program includes free videos, guides to activities and for-loan physical kits with the necessary tools to teach students concepts in a way that is relevant to the real world.
“Primary school students often ask the question, ‘why do we need to learn this?’ and our STEM initiative offers an answer,” says Joelle Reynolds, director of Youth Initiatives.
“Math and science are fundamental to the study of trades, and we want to help students see, at an early age, how these subjects apply to our world and to the potential career pathways ahead of them. We’re happy to have 1st Choice Savings on board as a partner in this program, and we are grateful for their support.”
Additionally, to round out the gift, 1st Choice Savings will stay on as a signature sponsor of Coulee Fest, the polytechnic’s annual community festival. That sponsorship will be active for the next three years thanks to an annual gift of $5,000 ($15,000 total).
“1st Choice truly captures the spirit of connection and generosity that makes our community so special, and we can’t wait to create amazing memories together at Coulee Fest in the years ahead,” says Stephanie Savage, manager of Alumni and Engagement at Lethbridge Polytechnic.
1st Choice Savings and Credit Union has branches in Lethbridge, Taber and Cardston, and employs 21 Lethbridge Polytechnic alumni.
