FAQ

Cultivate is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for four students and two teachers from your school to get immersed in Alberta’s agriculture landscape!

School teams will take part in a variety of workshops, sessions, and activities to gain a better understanding of the most current issues and multiple perspectives with regard to agriculture in Alberta. Teams will meet leading experts to gain information and resources related to the science, issues, innovation, and careers of our agriculture. They’ll have lots of fun too, with plenty of opportunities to network and socialize with like-minded students and teachers!

The teams will leave energized and ready to make a meaningful impact as they return to their school and community.  Their challenge will be to implement an Agriculture Education Project to share their learning with others.

Inside Education ensures a welcoming and fun learning environment. We hope you will be inspired by the people, places and perspectives that are shared on the program. As they say, a picture says a thousand words so we encourage you to check out our Regenerate 2025 Wrap Up Reel to gain a sense of the experience on our most recent provincial-scale youth summit.

Schools have provided high school credits to students who participate in our summits. Currently, Inside Education is not authorized to award credits through Alberta Education. Some school districts have created a “Locally Developed Course” through the Career and Technology Studies (CTS) stream to assign credits to students. This process must be completed by the school, but Inside Education is happy to help you along the way!

Ideally, both adults are teachers, administrators, or staff from the school. We curate activities for educators as part of the summit. In special cases, a parent or other adult chaperone may attend but they are expected to participate in the full program. 

We are committed to ensuring a safe environment for all program participants.

Emergency Contacts:

The supervising teacher from each school will provide a contact cell phone number and be accessible throughout the program.
In the event of an emergency please contact 9-1-1

Program Staff:

Inside Education program staff each have current standard first aid and CPR certification, and have passed a criminal records background check. There will be a first aid kit accessible by program staff and others at all time. Inside Education staff will be recognizable throughout the summit.

Travel Considerations:

Travel to and from the summit is the responsibility of the school. 
Check the road report and adjust your driving to the road conditions.
Carry an emergency kit including blankets, shovel, booster cables, snacks, and water.
Carry a current map and stay on main roadways.
Ensure someone knows your route; tell them when you plan to arrive and check in when you get there.
Ensure your vehicle is in good repair and has had a safety inspection.

Other Considerations:

• Free time: Any activities or use of hotel or external facilities will be at the discretion of the supervising teacher(s).
• Rooming: Inside Education reserves a block of rooms at the hotel. Student rooms will be assigned, with your help, based on same gender double occupancy. Your confirmation form will include the necessary fields for rooming lists. Teachers will stay on their own or with another teacher.
• Behaviour expectations: Program delegates are representing their schools and communities, and are expected to maintain the standards of behaviour set forth by their school and their supervising teacher(s). Delegates will be further expected to adhere to all school division policies.

If necessary, each attending teacher may apply for a maximum $150 subsidy per program day toward the cost of a substitute teacher. For overnight provincial-scale youth summits, a subsidy of up to $225 is offered ($75 for a half-day subsidy on the first day of the program, and $150 for a full-day subsidy on the second day of the program). It is the responsibility of the school to make substitute teacher arrangements. Please review Inside Education’s Subsidy Policy for more details.

Your main role is to help students make the most of their experience and learn alongside them. The lead teacher will be the primary connection to Inside Education. The students will be under your supervision and are ultimately your responsibility. There is no need to worry because we have a jam-packed program to keep them busy.

Of course, safety is a priority. Check out the safety section below for more details. 

Each school team comprises four students (age 14+) and two teachers. This group should be able to represent your school at the summit best and commit to the follow-up leadership project. As rooms are double occupancy, consider this in your selection process.

Two teachers are required to participate in the full program. The group may be split for tours, and we would like a teacher with the student when participating in off-site experiences. We also provide professional development to teachers throughout the summit.

Cultivate 2025 is a high school program. Students must be aged 14 or older to attend - Grade 9 students will only be invited if your school is Grade 9-12.

To-Bring…

• Small bag or backpack 
• Casual clothes (best to be comfortable!)
• Semi-formal wear for Friday night Celebration Dinner
• Warm outdoor gear (mitts, layers, toque) - just in case
• Close-toed shoes for site tours
• Water bottle
• Pencil and a notebook
• Personal items (medications, etc.)

Inside Education strives to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all participants. On the registration form, please let us know what will make your and your student’s experience most comfortable, and we will do our best to accommodate.

Student rooms: Teachers provide rooming lists to Inside Education when registering for the summit. Students will not be placed with students from another school. We encourage teams to consider rooming lists when selecting their teams. We have limited ability to provide single-room accommodations. 

Teacher rooms: Teacher rooms are also double occupancy. When registering, teachers can make rooming requests and may be placed with teachers from other schools. We have limited ability to provide single-room accommodations. Teachers can pay out-of-pocket for their single-occupancy room at the same hotel. However, they must book independently, and we do not have a discount rate code.

The majority of the program will be based out of the Delta Hotels Edmonton South Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

Both students and teachers will receive a full scholarship to attend. Registration, accommodations, meals, program transportation and tours are all covered.

Please note: Travel arrangements to and from the hotel accommodations are the team’s responsibility.

If your team is travelling less than 500 km (one way) to the program start location, then you are eligible to claim the following subsidy:

Ground Transportation

• $0.28/km per team to offset travel costs
• $500 subsidy for commercial transportation (ex. Mini-bus, school-owned bus, coach bus)

If your team is travelling more than 500 km (one way) to the program start location, then you are eligible to claim the following travel subsidy:

Ground Transportation

• $0.28/km for personal vehicles OR
• $750 subsidy for commercial transportation (ex. Mini-bus, school-owned bus, coach bus)

Air Transportation

• 75% of your team’s total flight expenses (up to a maximum of $2,250)

All subsidy requests must be submitted with a Mileage Expense Claim form or invoice with supporting documentation (ex. Flight or commercial transportation invoices) no later than 90 days after Cultivate 2025. Due to the nature of charitable program operations and reporting requirements, subsidies are NOT available after the deadline -- no exceptions.

In the selection process, we choose teams with various levels of environmental education experience and expertise while keeping an eye on your geographic location. To ensure the conversation is as dynamic as our agriculture landscape, Inside Education’s goal is to invite various teams from rural, urban, and Indigenous communities to ensure we have a breadth of experience.

Extra funding may be available to schools that demonstrate need.