GREATER VICTORIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Victory Van Association Legacy Lives on Through Vehicle Donation

"It would be a major victory if you can do it," said Dennis Armstrong in 1976.

Back then, the Principal of Victor School was referring to a group of parents and their desire to fundraise for a specially-equipped vehicle to support the transportation of students with diverse needs.

Spurred on by both the challenge and the nod of approval, the parent group immediately began to fundraise, hosting bake sales, canvasing asks to the community, and even leveraging the Spring Fling to support through ticket sales. Two years later in 1978, the parents formed the Victory Van Association and were well on their way to purchasing their first vehicle which, at that time, cost about $14,000.

Led by passionate and deeply caring parents, many with children or relatives with complex needs, the Association has helped fund and maintain about four to five vans, supporting hundreds of children over the past 47 years.

Now, as the Association looks to dissolve, their legacy will live on through the donation and ownership transition of the Association's current vehicle, an important asset to students and staff of Victor School.

"It's the school staff that do all the programming and care for these kids," said a spokesperson from the Victory Van Association. "Life is more than basic needs and through the teachers that choose this career and supports like transportation, we can ensure kids are equipped with life skills they can apply now and beyond their schooling years."

Safe transportation enables students to experience educational field trips just as any school would, allowing for the exploration of new places and new friendships to form through experiences such as nature walks. In addition, the van enables students to practice life skills in store settings, recreation centres, and parks.

As Educational Assistant Julia Novakowski shared, "Because of the van, every time they go out, their world doubles in size, scope, and excitement."

For students at Victor School the accessibility and change in routine allows kids to be exposed to certain areas of the city they wouldn't normally be able to explore.

"We've had the pleasure of witnessing the pride in a student as they got on and off an escalator for the first time at a local shopping centre," said Bianca Striegan, Educational Assistant. "We've seen the delight on another student's face when they saw a cruise ship for the first time on an outing near Dallas Point."

The Greater Victoria School District is so grateful for each parent and volunteer who has supported the Association. Their advocacy and determination to ensure students have opportunities to learn beyond school walls is so admirable and well deserved of recognition.

"On behalf of our students who communicate in different ways, we wanted to express our gratitude to the Victory Van Association," says Jessie Moore, Vice-Principal of Victor School, raising her hand to her chin and letting it fall in front of her, the American Sign Language sign for thank you'.