Something to chirp about (5 photos)

You could literally hear the crickets chirping as they called the names of graduates to accept their certificates.

Nine adult students graduated on Friday from the Superior Skills’ Insect Rearing program, held at the former Alexander Henry site.

The seven-week program introduced students to basic insect care and lab safety skills as they bred and grew crickets and mealworms.

“When I started I just knew the basics. Through this we learned the whole life cycle, how to take care of them, how to raise them, how to breed them,” said graduate Tammi Ford.

When she originally saw the listing for the program through Ontario Works, Ford was attracted to the idea, with some trepidation.

“It was just something unique, something different. I have been petrified of insects all my life. It was a challenge for me,” said Ford.

Insect Rearing was the second of six programs being offered in the partnership between Ontario Works and Superior Skills, and so far has been the most successful.

Of the ten students who signed up for this program, only one ended up dropping out.

“I have taught another adult program where out of 17 students only six would show up, so this makes me feel good,” said instructor Gabrielle Bourbonnais.

Graduates were also taught skills that extend past insect rearing, such as workplace and life skills, time-management, attention to detail, organization and resume-building.

Four of the graduates have been offered immediate employment through FlutterGo, the insect-rearing division of Entomica.

There they will continue to grow and breed insects as food for the insects on display at the attraction, currently housed at Mill Market.

It is important to grow the food under laboratory conditions, otherwise disease could threaten the insects on exhibit.

“Before this program I thought they (insects) were just nuisances, but now I have an understanding how beneficial these insects are to us,” said Ford.

Mike Nadeau, commissioner of Social Services for the City of Sault Ste. Marie, says the program was a home run.

“The feedback from the participants in the program make it so worthwhile. We thought if we made investments in the community that it would make positive results, but when you hear the feedback and the difference it is making in the individual lives it’s absolutely amazing to see,” said Nadeau.

(PHOTO: A student walks past posters of insects at the Insect Rearing classroom in the former Alexander henry on December 19, 2014. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)