Download the school and group program brochure.

Hello,

My name is Mark Vanderende — I'm a Master Beekeeper based in Princeton, BC, and I bring live honey bee programs to schools, youth groups and community halls across the Similkameen, the Okanagan and beyond.

Nothing gets out and nobody is stung: students meet a real colony inside a fully sealed glass observation hive, hold bee-free comb, try on a kid-sized veil, and taste honey, pollen and wax (always opt-in, with allergy protocols confirmed with staff in advance).

What I offer:

• In-class sessions (ages 5–18) — four age bands mapped to BC Science big ideas: life cycles, ecosystems, biodiversity and sustainability. One table, 15 minutes to set up.
• Field days at our Princeton apiary — groups suit up and open a real colony under supervision.
• Hands-on add-on stations — build a mason bee home, make a beeswax salve or soap, or plant a pollinator garden. Students take home what they make.
• Signature beekeeping keynotes for assemblies, clubs and community groups.
• Fundraising-friendly honey straws and mini hex jars with QR batch codes — a snack that becomes a lesson.

Every booking includes a free teacher pack: BC-aligned lesson plans, printable quizzes with answer keys, craft sheets and a parent take-home guide.

I've attached my full-colour program brochure with pricing and age-band outcomes — you can also view or download it here:
https://foragingbee.com/field-cards/foraging-bee-school-brochure.pdf

Fees start at $150 for a single in-class session (up to 30 students), and one free session per year is reserved for a Similkameen school that cannot cover the fee — just ask.

I'd love to visit your school. Reply here and we'll find a date.

Warm regards,
Mark Vanderende
Master Beekeeper, The Foraging Bee
Princeton, British Columbia
mvanderende71@gmail.com · 778-882-1236
foragingbee.com/workshops/in-class
"Have fun with your bees"