Minister of Education Peter Fassbender says he is impressed with the innovation and passion of Houston teachers and students.
Minister Fassbender visited Houston Secondary School is a break from the Legislature last Monday.
""I like to travel and visit as many schools as I can... I had a great opportunity to come to Houston Secondary and see some of the very innovative work they are doing with some of the trades training, and programs like band and drama," Fassbender said.
"I was very impressed."
Fassbender says he noticed the passion and dedication of band teacher Margaret Letkeman.
"It is one of the larger bands I've seen in a school of that size… you can just see the quality that they are producing in their music," he said.
He was also impressed to hear about the successful and unique band program, and to see students from the trades program practicing electrical work on a structure in the shop.
Fassbender had lunch with student ambassadors Amalia Bergstresser, Rebecca Ells, Taylor Johnson, Brooke Solotwinski and Leilah Wiebe.
"What really impressed me was how engaged they are," Fassbender said.
"They are not disengaged in their educational journey. They are very passionate and it is reflected in the way teachers interact with them, the ability they have to explore some of their own passions and work together in collaboration with other students… And what a great program they have at a school that has a fairly small population compared to other high schools, but you would never know it by the enthusiasm."
HSS Principal Scott Jackson says he was proud to show Minister Fassbender around the school.
"I was mostly just proud of the innovative ways that the School District and Houston Secondary have found to provide the variety of programs that we do despite our small student population and staff," Jackson said.
The last thing Fassbender noted was the welcome and engagement from school staff and students.
"I appreciate it very much," he said.
"There are lots of really innovative things happening in schools throughout the province, and Smithers and Houston are no exception."