A local organization received a certificate of appreciation from staff and students at Portage Collegiate last week. The Portage Friendship Centre was recognized for their contribution to PCI's work experience program. Friendship Centre Executive Director Shirley Bernard says they were excited to get the certificate.

""We were so excited to get that from PCI. We always partner with the schools and we're always open for the students to come and do their practicum or their hours for their credits at the Friendship Centre. We're pretty excited to get this and hang it on our wall."

She explains the certificate.

"The certificate is a certificate of appreciation for the partnership with PCI to provide workplace opportunities in conjunction with classroom instruction to better prepare students for life beyond high school. We were very excited to get that."

Bernard says it feels great to be recognized and to be able to help out the kids in the school.

"We all feel good about being recognized. Myself, our Board of Directors, and our staff are all very proud of ourselves for helping out and we're very proud of the students for coming in and doing their part in it."