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There was a lot of screaming the first time Bianca Cuevas put on a pair of skates and stepped onto a sheet of ice.

The Grade 5 student from Strathmillan School was terrified that she was going to fall down — which she did — as she took part in the school’s outdoor learn-to-skate program at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre’s Silver Heights site.

But last Tuesday, at the program’s third weekly session, the St. James resident was gliding up and down the rink.

"I was surprised how quick I picked it up," Cuevas said, as she took a break to retie her skates.

Cuevas is one of 30 Strathmillan students taking part in the free program, which teacher Tyson Buskell started last winter with only 12 kids signed up.

A few of that original dozen are back this year, but Buskell estimates at least 20 of the kids had never skated before the first session on Jan. 24.

Buskell has also made an effort to include more special-needs students in the program this year, and said the school community did a great job of making sure that skates and helmets were provided for any students who didn’t have their own.

"Mr. B, the ice is melting," said Grade 4 student Kaleb Kemball as he passed by his teacher on the unseasonably warm day.

Kemball was part of the program last year, and Buskell has a hard time believing that the skater he sees today is the same one that "was on his knees the whole time" at first.

"A lot of the kids come up to me at school and tell me they’re going skating on their own with their families," Buskell said. "That’s great to see."

Helping out with the lessons this year are members of the John Taylor Pipers boys hockey team.

Anywhere from five to eight Pipers are at each session, providing the kids with instructors who might be easier to relate to than their teachers.

"It’s just nice to help out with the kids," said Pipers captain Tyler Kemball, who happens to be Kaleb’s cousin. "I was worried about them not wanting to listen, but they’ve been pretty good."

The Grade 11 student from St. James said he’s seen plenty of improvement from the kids during the past few weeks.

Derek Walker, a Grade 12 centre from Westwood, said he’s gained a new appreciation for what some of his old coaches must have experienced.

"I like it," he said. "Teaching these kids how to skate, it’s nice to pass it on. They really seem to look up to you as someone different who they haven’t seen before. It makes it worth coming out here."

avi.saper@canstarnews.com