2016/2017
Toni and Karl Machado took a number of kids up to the Salmo-Creston to visit with the Bighorn Sheep again this year. Thanks for the pictures Mr. Machado!
2015/2016
The year began with the raising of our Tipi. Our Aboriginal education students joined the International students for the day. Students learned about the significance and protocol surrounding the tipi and were able to play a few rounds of Inca handball. The event culminated with a wonderful warm lunch provided by Whitewater.
Unfortunately, Jesse Halton left our program to take a job in the valley, but we were very lucky to have Toni Appleby join us in December. She started by showing students caribou tufting and helped them make christmas stockings.
In February, we took the kids to the Salmo-Creston to sit with the bighorn sheep. The poor sheep thought someone was coming to feed them. Unfortunately, it was just a bunch teenagers coming to stare at them. From there, we headed to Stagleap park for some hot soup and sandwiches. Toni told the group about the dwindling caribou in the area. Kids being kids, their favourite part was playing on the crazy carpets.
In March, during spring break, a contingent of grade 11 and 12 students (from LVR, REACH, Salmo Secondary, and Mount Sentinel) and chaperones went down to Victoria to the "Gathering Our Voices" conference. On the way down, we had a sleepover at the Vancouver Aquarium and visited the Museum of Anthropolgy. Adults were not really allowed to attend the workshops at the "Gathering Our Voices", but I was able to get a few photos at the closing ceremonies.
In June, we took 2 vanloads of students up to Cody Caves.
The year-end trip for the 2015-2016 season was to Nakusp. Our students helped mentor younger students at Nakusp elementary during their Aboriginal day and stayed overnight at Halcyon hotsprings in tipis.
Our new Ab Ed room!!! We were able secure a more suitable place at the end of the school year and Toni went to town! She has created a warm, welcoming, comfortable space that works well for the many program offerings that she offers to our students. Well done Toni!