Girl gets a gun — so she can graduate: Alberta high school student earning credits for her course on how to handle handguns

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CALGARY – Like Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde or Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider, Leandra Lepko is a girl with a gun.

The Lethbridge, Alta., teen is making waves with a self-designed school project that has her studying handguns while perfecting the subtleties of becoming a crack shot.

And she’s earning five credits toward her high school diploma for the project that includes firing off rounds from her 9 mm handgun once a week.

Ms. Lepko, who is in Grade 11 and needed to make up five credits, pitched the idea of a shooting class after learning about the special program offered by Alberta Learning.

“A lot of my friends think it’s really cool,” said Ms. Lepko.

“Shooting takes a lot of discipline and skill and safety is very important. You can never do anything that might endanger anyone else.”

Ms. Lepko, 17, travels from Lethbridge to nearby Taber every week for shooting and lessons with her instructor, who evaluates her progress.

Cal O’Brien, Ms. Lepko’s principal at Catholic Central High, said he was surprised when she pitched the idea, but found it met all of the criteria.

When asked what the public’s perception of a pistol-packing student might be, given high-profile school shootings, such as the one in Taber in 1999, in which a 14-year-old boy shot two students, killing one, Mr. O’Brien says he isn’t concerned.

“It’s far less dangerous in a controlled environment,” he said.

Ms. Lepko’s mother and stepfather, Joanne and John Schoorl, say they are amazed at the level of interest in their daughter’s project.

“We have had so many parents come up to us wanting to know how their kids can get credits for shooting,” said John Schoorl.

“If we can teach young people how to handle firearms responsibly and safely it will only prevent accidents in the future.”