Community Involvement

Community Support

2010 ARCTIC WINTER GAMES                                       GPPSD EDUCATION FOUNDATION

GRADE 3 READING UNIVERSITY                                   ART GALLERY OF GRANDE PRAIRIE

GRANDE PRAIRIE REGIONAL COLLEGE                               GRANDE PRAIRIE EMS

     PHILIP J CURRY DINO MUSEUM                         QEII REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

                                                                                                   KEY TO CARE CAMPAIGN

Grade Three Reading University

Rhonda Side - Co-founder

Grade Three Reading University is a program in Grande Prairie to help grade three students read at grade level.  Up to and including Grade three, children are learning to read.  From grade four onward, they read to learn.  If these students are not reading to grade level at this point, they fall behind.  This has been referred to as a “leak” point in the school systems.  It can prove to be very difficult for these children to ever catch up. That's where Reading University comes in. Students who are reading below grade level are referred by their grade three teachers to attend Reading University. We strive to make Reading University an equal opportunity program; we provide bussing for our students to and from Grande Prairie Regional College as well as nutritional lunches and snacks during the day. 

Reading University has been successfully helping students in our community for over 10 years. It is with the generous support of our community and dedicated team that we are able to provide:

• Student assessment by the school districts to determine qualification
• Pre-university meetings with teachers and students to establish a relationship
• A full 3-week session at GPRC
• Bus to and from University each day as well as field trip transportation
• Nutritious snacks and lunches for students
• Backpacks, water bottles, books, prizes, t-shirts
• Teaching staff
• Student assessment after Reading University

By supplying transportation and nutritional snacks and lunches, we are overcoming some very basic obstacles that our school districts face every day.  The funding for these components was provided through gift-in-kind donations from generous community members.

Reading University increases literacy competencies through;

• Literacy focused activities
• Individual and group reading
• Helping students develop positive relationships with learning
• Creating and sharing stories about their experiences
• Physical activities
• Multimedia
• Many strategies that are simply not possible in a traditional classroom environment

In the end, the cost is approximately $1,000 per student. In 2019 we had 195 students attend and we predict more growth for 2020!

Read more here.

Chamber of Commerce 

Business Citizen of the Year Award - 2018

Rhonda Side

GPRC Presidents Ball Committee

Co-Chair 2002 -2005
2006 Volunteer of the Year Award GPRC Alumni Foundation

Grande Prairie and Area Association of Realtor

Member since 2002
Director from 2004-2009 & 2011-2012
President 2008
Political Action Committee chair 2006 thru 2013
Commercial Council Chair 2010-2013
Canadian Commercial Council member since 2008

Grade Three Reading University from 2009

Co-Founder/Co-Chair
ASBA (Alberta School Boards Association) Friends of Education Award 2011

Tri-district Nomination – GPPSD, GPCSD, PWSD

Grade Three Reading U Annual Hole in One Golf Tournament
Co-Chair
Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow 2013 (for Reading University)

2010 Arctic Winter Games Sponsorship Committee

Chair Colin James Friendraiser Event 2009

Jeremy Walker

Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce

Director 2007 – 2010
              2011 – 2013
Dan H Minchin Award 2015

Urban Developers Institute, Grande Prairie Chapter

Member 2009-
Chair 2011-2013 

Best New Office Building 2010 Canadian Commercial Council Building Awards

Swan City Rotary Club

Member from 2006