CALEB NICKERSON
PONTIAC April 22, 2020
An elite team from the Pontiac Continuing Education Centre (PCEC) got the chance to pitch their business at a regional entrepreneurship challenge put on by Carrefour jeunesse emploi de l’Outaouais.
The SIS Elite class at PCEC is . . .
for students with special needs to foster skills for social integration, like handling money, cooking meals and using technology safely. With help from several different instructors, they learn to become more independent and confident in themselves.
“It really is designed to really move students with special needs towards greater independence and a realization on both ends of community, and self, as to what their capabilities are and what their value is,” explained technology instructor Jean Claude Rivest. “A lot of times, I think … this goes for everybody, we fail to see what our value is unless somebody mentors us and shows us.”
He explained that the name of the course stemmed from a discussion he had with his students one day. They were quieter than usual, and when Rivest asked what was up, they questioned why they were the only group of students taking the social integration courses.
“I think what they were referring to is the stigma attached to having special needs and really having particular challenges … they were painfully aware of the fact that often in society it means that they are an outcast or not accepted or not viewed as being important or have little value,” he explained. “They’re not regarded the same way. It really took me aback.”
He said he thought carefully before responding.
“I said, ‘Truthfully speaking, I think it’s very unfortunate because I think every student in this school should have to take this class,’” he recalled. “Truthfully speaking, you are a breed of student that is excelling and learning things everybody needs to know, and if it was up to me, everybody would be doing this all the time.”
“The truth is that you’ve taught me as much or more than I’ve ever taught you, because of what you’ve done, you make me a better teacher and a better person,” he concluded.
Rivest said that one of his students ended up giving the course its new and improved moniker.
“[He said] ‘That’s awesome, we’re like special forces. We’re so incredible,’” he said. “He says, ‘We’re like elite. That’s it, we’re the SIS Elite.’”
The name stuck and the group has been building their skills and confidence ever since. One of the major projects that they’ve been working on in Rivest’s class is the creation of a vinyl sticker business.
While originally they had been working on a car wash as a way to build work experience and various skills, there was only a short window of warm weather that overlapped with the school year and Rivest said that they began looking at other options.
“They worked so hard, I’m talking months of work,” he said. “They figured out how much their product was costing them, how much they needed to use on a vehicle, what would make a customer happy and what they would charge for these things … it felt like a huge effort, but only a short period.”
Following a push by the school board to purchase technology, Rivest was able to acquire a 3D printer as well as two vinyl cutters for the students to use.
“With that was birthed what we’re doing now,” he said. “We just really focus on growing that part of the business, in particular areas. We did a lot of not-for-profit organizations just to help out, because there’s a lot of them in this region. It was a great place to start. We didn’t want to go into any kind of competition with people who are already doing this.”
Tasks are divided among the group based on their strengths: one handles the money, another deals with customers and others work with the machines or handle quality control.
“It really has evolved into this business where they’re learning so much about their strengths and learning together with other people’s strengths,” Rivest said. “It’s been absolutely a joy to watch, they’re making money, they can see their money going up in their account, they’re in control of their purchases and expenditures. It’s revenue neutral, so it’s not costing the school to have this project because the goal is to become sufficient in this.
“They’re really likeable, lovable, competent individuals that deserve opportunities in life and deserve to be treated equally for the skills that they do,” he added.
The team was recently selected for an Outaouais-wide competition put on by Carrefour jeunesse emploi, called the Defi OSEntreprendre, where students at various levels pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges.
“We ended up getting selected and going before a panel of judges, and oh my … they were so excited and nervous,” Rivest said. “It was a great experience. They’re learning to be able to handle pressure and expectations and how to look at that. Rather than looking at it as being anxious, really you’re excited and you’re excited because it matters and it’s pretty neat. They really did an awesome job.”
They attended a virtual gala on April 22 where the winners were announced and despite not moving on to the next stage, Rivest said that they were excited for the opportunity and were expecting to return next year even more polished. He said that the team showed a lot of class when it was announced that they were the runner-up.
“When it went to the other team, almost immediately after, everyone was texting and chatting back and forth and they were still so happy for the other team, which was awesome,” he said. “[There was] really great camaraderie and sportsmanship, just really happy for [the other team] too. We didn’t feel short-changed in any way.”
“That’s the perspective I had with them, I told them, it’s not failure, it’s delayed success,” he added. “How much do you want to succeed? … It is yours to have if you want it. Teaching them this value and developing that sort of thinking, that mindset.”
