How to keep kids in school

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A three-day conference to discuss methods of encouraging Aboriginal students to stay in university resulted is a fruitful exchange of ideas, organizers said.

The RETAIN 2000 conference at the University of Northern British Columbia drew about 300 delegates and volunteers, said co-ordinator Yvonne Pierreroy.

Some delegates came from as far away as South Africa, New Zealand and Hawaii, but a significant number also came from within the UNBC region, said Randall Brazzoni, UNBC housing manager and a conference organizer. About half the delegates were from the U.S., Pierreroy said.

"We have to keep First Nations students staying in higher education and succeed in it," said Brazzoni. "We have to understand the different cultures involved, and the different methods of learning."

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada see similarities in the challenges they face devising strategies to retain Aboriginal students in the university system.

Workshops on a variety of topics were highly successful, Pierreroy said.

"We had a lot of feedback from delegates about the workshops they attended," she said.

Sunday afternoon, Native Elder Aldon-Pompana offered summary remarks at the closing assembly in the Canfor Theatre.

"We've done our best to see our children get the education they need," he said. "One of my daughters graduated recently. It was really something to see that."

He said he was unable to go very far with formal education in his day.

"But I memorized all I could of the stories my mother told me and my grandfather told me.

Aldon-Pompana said it was gratifying that other young people in his family are continuing with higher education.

"I have a grandchild who is six years old," Aldon-Pompana said. "It's good to see, he want to go to school. I'd like to see him get as far as he can.

"When we bring children into the world, that is our responsibility," he said. "That's how I look at it today - the need to ensure a future for our young people. That's the only way to get by in the world we live in today."

Aldon-Pompana offered a closing prayer in the Lakota language.