Unlocking potential. Opening doors.

HURON PARK SECONDARY SCHOOL – SENIOR ELECTRICAL CLASS

There is a new kind of energy running through the halls of Huron Park Secondary School, and it is coming straight from the Senior Electrical Class.

Led by teacher Derek Belore, this hands-on program is giving Grade 11 and 12 students the opportunity to step directly into the world of skilled trades through practical, real-world learning. Inside the shop classroom, students are doing far more than reading textbooks. They are learning how electricity powers homes and communities while building the skills, confidence, and knowledge that can launch lifelong careers. From electrical safety and proper tool use to wiring outlets, reading electrical plans, troubleshooting systems, and navigating Ontario building codes – students are learning by doing, one project at a time.

With support from the Donald Post Community Fund grant, the program was able to purchase the essential equipment and supplies needed to transform the classroom into a fully interactive learning environment. Electrical panels, fire panels, programming panels, wiring, switches, and outlets now give students direct, hands-on experience with the tools and systems they will encounter in the field.

And the program is only getting started. The next phase will see students working within newly drywalled practice spaces – pulling wiring through walls, installing switches and outlets, connecting ceiling fans and light fixtures, and completing full residential electrical setups from start to finish. These realistic training environments are helping students bridge the gap between classroom learning and careers that are in high demand across Ontario.

Programs like this are more than technical education. They are pathways to opportunity -helping young people discover their potential, explore apprenticeships and postsecondary options, and build futures in the skilled trades. At Oxford Community Foundation, we believe that investing in hands-on learning is investing in the strength and prosperity of our communities. The Senior Electrical Class at Huron Park is proof of what becomes possible when the right support meets the right idea.