Small towns, big dreams.

Rural Alberta: rolling foothills, rugged terrain, fields of gold as far as the eye can see. However, as beautiful as it is, for the roughly 22 per cent of Albertans who live in rural communities, Alberta can also have its disadvantages, like fewer educational opportunities or limited resources to support enhanced learning in rural schools.

As the charitable arm of the CPA profession in Alberta, the CPA Education Foundation’s mandate is to strengthen the future of the accounting profession by raising awareness of and creating access to careers in accounting. One of the Foundation’s latest initiatives is Stepping Up, which was created to help promising young Albertans—especially those in rural areas—overcome barriers and pursue their dream careers.

The Stepping Up Rural High School Grant was created to support activities that will enhance student access to technology, such as purchasing new laptops, software licenses, or equipment to address connectivity issues. The Foundation was thrilled to select Roland Michener Secondary School in Slave Lake and Sturgeon Composite High School in Sturgeon County as the recipients of this inaugural grant.

For students who are choosing to go to college or university, the Foundation also offers nearly $20,000 in scholarships specifically for high school students, including several new awards created this past year as part of the Stepping Up initiative.

For Ethen Knopp, receiving the 2021 Rural Learners Award aligns with his goal of becoming a CPA to give back to his hometown of Thorsby. With a CPA designation, “I feel I can assist and advise because I understand the rural community and their concerns,” he says.

Ethen credits being active in the community, working in his family’s automotive tire and grain farming businesses, and watching his parents and grandparents work hard as key drivers for why he is considering becoming a CPA. “Watching how my grandma does the books and watching the business grow under my dad’s leadership and hard work truly inspired me,” he says. He’s also thankful for his relationship with the people in his community.

That strong sense of community is echoed by Kashy Antonio, who also received the Rural Learners Award. Originally from Ireland—with family hailing from Nigeria—Kashy moved to the rural Albertan community of Lloydminster at a very young age. It’s an experience she wouldn’t change for the world. “Along with making friends, the support from the community is something I’ll cherish as I go to university,” says Kashy.

Not only did the community rally behind Kashy when she started a non-profit organization to collect gloves and raise money for vulnerable children, they were also very welcoming and appreciative as she embraced her heritage during Canada Day multicultural celebrations. At these festivities, Kashy showcased the food, clothing, and music she grew up with. “It was such a fun experience,” she says. “How others in my community appreciated it too was very heartwarming and further confirmed my love for my community.”

So yes, rural Alberta can be defined by its idyllic yet rugged terrain. But it’s also defined by hard work and a strong sense of community. It’s those characteristics and the belief that educational opportunities should be made available to all students, no matter where they live, that drove the Foundation to take notice and step up.

The CPA Education Foundation is passionate about helping students reach their CPA designation goals and recognizes education is a significant financial investment. That’s why the Foundation offers a variety of awards to help ease the financial barriers of higher education for students at all stages of their educational careers, from high school to post-secondary and through to the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP).