Grand Opening of the Mount Boucherie Secondary Addition

Ribbon-cutting to celebrate the new addition at Mount Boucherie Secondary School

A new $7 million addition at Mount Boucherie Secondary School just unveiled this month is already positively impacting students’ learning experience. The addition creates seven new classrooms, which reduces the need for portables, and adds a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen, a metal shop, a clothing/textile shop, and a multipurpose/music room. The new construction has allowed for expansion to the hairdressing classroom and the photography darkroom.

At the Grand Opening on March 7, culinary arts students prepared an elegant breakfast buffet for more than a hundred guests. To open the event, Jillian Fugedi (singer) and Jaclyn Herzog (pianist) performed O’ Canada. Principal Lisa McCullough introduced the MBSS ‘Bear Council’, the student council and ceremony hosts. Recognizing the fact that MBSS rests on traditional First Nations land, Elders Mary Ann Eli and Fawn Deguevara blessed the new building addition. In addition, to impressive musical performances by First Nations students and a former teacher, Chief Robert Louie offered a very special gift to the students and staff at MBSS in honour of the expansion. From the artifacts on loan to the school, Chief Louie offered a gift of an exquisitely preserved basket. This is the first time that the Westbank First Nations artifacts have been loaned or gifted.

“It is a building and facility that will generate great wealth – a wealth of knowledge, wealth of learning and it is much appreciated in today’s society…As I look around I see many bear symbols and I think that needs to be spoken to. Black bears and Grizzly Bears are very important in Okanagan legend and spirit. The Black Bear is the Chief of the four-footed animals and that is something that our legends speak very highly of. The word Kelowna comes from our word for Grizzly bear and years ago before there were settlements here we were on our own here and there were Grizzly bears. The First Nations name for Mount Boucherie means Laying Down Grizzly Bear. If you look from a distance you can see the head is facing north. Before the fires, there were a lot more trees and it looked like the hair on a grizzly bear.”

“We encourage all students to do the best that you can at all times. We are proud of all of the students and equally proud of our Aboriginal students. We encourage all Aboriginal students to excel in the public education system… We see good things happening. We congratulate all the students, teachers, and many others who make it possible.”