Trailblazer Trek brings outdoor learning & discovery fund total to $75,000

Students walk across Canada nearly five times as a school ... and your generosity brings the outdoor learning fund to $75,000 total!

** UPDATE: As of June 25 ... you did it! You helped us reach our $80,000 goal! Way to go NCS families, friends and supporters! Praise God! Watch for outdoor learning initiatives coming soon in the 2025-26 school year! **

In May, nearly 700 Nanaimo Christian School students took on a 30-day challenge to walk across Canada—no small feat! After a month of walking, hiking, and running, our school traversed 29,251 kilometres and raised $37,629 toward our annual fund: Outdoor Learning & Discovery! We celebrated with a fun field day, a closing ceremony and lots of prizes.

From competitive Kindergarteners to energetic middle schoolers, and determined high schoolers, the Trailblazer Trek united the entire NCS community in activity, movement, healthy lifestyles, and generosity. Today, there is much to celebrate!

• 29,251 kilometres walked – That’s coast-to-coast nearly five times!

• $37,629 raised directly from the Trek

• $13,295 raised at the wrap-up party's live auction

• $24,000 raised pre-Trek through generous giving

• Total: $74,924 raised for the Outdoor Learning & Discovery Fund – we’re just shy of our $80K goal!

It would not have been possible without the incredible help and generosity of many grandparents, neighbours, parents, students, community members, and corporate sponsors. Many students got creative and not only raised awareness of our school and the initiative but also brought in extra funds. From bake sales to class vs. class friendly competitions, students inspired with their determination and drive.

The $75,000 raised by the NCS community this year is investing in the school’s Outdoor Learning & Discovery Fund, bringing essential hands-on tools and learning experiences into every school

division:

• Elementary – Garden beds, compost programs, outdoor eco-learning spaces

• Middle School – Outdoor filming gear, waterproof journals, microscopes

• High School – Exploration tech, drones, telescopes

Especially inspiring are the stories behind the logged kilometres:

• A Grade 6 student and his family now walk together every night after dinner, showing us the power of family connection and community.

• A Grade 5 student began waking up at 6am to walk, setting an example of a healthy lifestyle.

• A Grade 4 student noticed better focus and academic improvement after he began to regularly run laps.

• More than 75 people came out for NCS family weekend walks in May, including a Kindergarten student who hiked to the top of Mount Benson alongside school friends, his siblings, dad and grandpa.

At the Trek's closing ceremony the first-ever Golden Shoe Award was given to the student who consistently went above and beyond, inspiring the rest of the school and community during the Trailblazer Trek. Teachers nominated 12 students who consistently showed passion, creativity, hard work, and heart as they walked and raised funds. Congratulations to the 2024-25 winner: John Greenaway (Gr 4). Here are the nominees:

• Caeli Armstrong (Gr 6) – Recorded 154 km walked and encouraged her entire neighbourhood to get involved.

• Gage Atkinson (KG) – Walked 50+ km, consistently walking after school and inspiring 36 donors to give toward the goal!

• Annie Bestwick (Gr 1) – 38 km completed, mostly through running during recess, and inviting friends and classmates to join in.

• Cameron Ferris (Gr 2) – 127.6 km walking and running both at home and at school, encouraging friends to join along in the fun.

• John Greenaway (Gr 4) – 203.2 km walked, fueled by his Healthy Monday initiative, a day where he would pack only healthy food in his lunch. **WINNER**

• Emery Hansen (Gr 7) – 170 km walked with integrity and leadership. Emery logged all kilometres with honesty as he encouraged and pushed his classmates to run for more.

• Ethan McDonald (Gr 4) – Ethan walked and ran with a quiet determination and ongoing perseverance. He encouraged his classmates to keep going and never give up!

• Fiona McMullen (Gr 5) – 115 km walked as this budding entrepreneur gave away floral bouquets to anyone who donated over a certain amount.

• Julius Ortiz Liu (Gr 11) – Julius contributed 40+ kilometres through running, walking, and doing laps on the basketball court. His active and healthy lifestyle was an inspiring example to his classmates.

• Jacob Robertson (Gr 5) – With 100+ km completed and incredible fundraising efforts, Jacob went above and beyond each week, running and walking both during class activities and at home.

• Erika Sevenhuysen (Gr 2) – Erika walked and ran 50 kilometres, all while meticulously calculating and recording each distance traversed.

• Oliver Sinclair (Gr 9) – 141 km of consistent running and steady leadership. Oliver set the example in the classroom and was a positive influence to his peers.

The impact of the Trailblazer Trek goes far beyond dollars raised.

You didn’t just donate, you helped students grow, explore, and encounter God’s world in deeply meaningful ways.

To continue to inspire and impact NCS’s future, you can donate here to help us reach our final goal of $80,000.

The success of our Trailblazer Trek goes to our entire school community, but we’d like to give special thanks to our two corporate sponsors -- Subaru of Nanaimo and R+Co Plumbing and Gas -- who helped champion outdoor learning.

Thanks also to our prize donors: Country Grocer, Dairy Queen (at Country Club), Tim Hortons, Milk Jam, InflataFun, Cha Time, Splitzville, and Paisanos Slice Shop. Your gifts kept us motivated and inspired to keep walking and running!

Thank you, Trailblazers. Our Trek made a lasting impact!