Border City Aboriginal Headstart planning reunion

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Excitement is building as the Border City Aboriginal Headstart (BCHS) program gears up for a unique and historical event-a five-year reunion of all former students, parents and community supporters.

"It will be the first reunion of it's kind to be celebrated for former Headstart students in Saskatchewan, Alberta or in all of Canada," explained executive director Lisa Zackowski.

Six years strong and growing stronger, Aboriginal Headstart programs have become a significant stepping-stone in the academic, social and cultural growth and well being of First Nation, Metis and Inuit children across the country. The program for pre-school-aged children helps them develop the skills and confidence they will need to succeed in school. The program includes education, health promotion and nutrition components, as well as a culture and language component.

For parents, teachers and students, the five-year reunion will be a chance to celebrate growing cultural strength, awareness and solid community connections, and how much they have evolved for Aboriginal people between 1997 and 2003.

"A real sense of affirmation and celebration is in the air, who we are, where we have come from, what we have accomplished and where we are headed as parents, teachers and students," said Zackowski.

Unique among the 114 Headstart programs in Canada, the Border City Aboriginal Headstart program serves urban youngsters in Lloydminster from both Alberta and Saskatchewan, whose home reserves include Thunderchild, Onion Lake, Frog Lake and Fishing Lake First Nations.

"We don't look at the border, we look at the needs of the child," said Zackowski.

"There is no discrimination based on family income or which side of the border you come from. Historically speaking, Aboriginal people don't recognize borders," said Zackowski.

The whole idea of a reunion for the youthful graduates was the brainchild of parent Crystal Donnell, who suggested that it would be a good idea to get all the BCAH kids from the first five years together, let them meet each other again and talk about what happened.

"We got very excited and decided to run with the idea, where, when and how much it would cost, a challenging thing because we don't get to save up any money in any given year. We are on a budget and it has to be spent in that fiscal year from federal funding that filters down to each province and each Aboriginal Headstart," said Zackowski.

With several enthusiastic parents already on board, Zackowski called around to active and involved parents from former years to see if they were interested in doing a reunion. Everyone she called responded with a resounding "Yes, absolutely! When is the meeting?"

A committee of five parents was nominated to organize the event including Jessica Fowls, Crystal Donnell, Darlyne Falcon, Violet Groenen and Veronica Dumont.

"No other site across Canada has done a five year reunion," Zackowski said. "As part of a very positive spin, we have seen many parents wanting to return to the program with younger siblings of children who have already graduated into kindergarten, grades 1, 2 and 3 and so on."

After several exploratory meetings, the parents advisory committee decided to hold the event on May 9, 2003 at the Tropical Inn in Lloydminster, booking The Big Bear Hoop Dance Troop with Sandra Opikikew to perform because many of the young hoop dancers have been through the Headstart program.

"We will also focus on celebrating the Cree, Metis and Inuit cultures with adult dancers, Elders such as Helen Ross and Edith St. Amant-who have been with us since the beginning-traditional stories, language and food."

Since the program was inaugurated in 1997, the criteria for admittance to Aboriginal Headstart have remained the same.

"Most of the Aboriginal children who have attended the program in the last five years are those who would fall in between the cracks for a number of reasons including, having parents struggling to make ends meet absentee parents attending school and upgrading or not being enrolled in another developmental program, daycare or early intervention," said Zackowski.

"We are the positive light at the end of the tunnel helping to develop expressive language, social skills, self-esteem, cultural pride and awareness."

Feedback from the mainstream school system has been consistent and affirmative.

"Teachers know immediately which children have been through the Aboriginal Headstart program. Our children adapt well to routine and schedule, and transitions don't scare them. They have developed new independence and social skills, such as raising their hands when they want or need something, a sense of ownership of their own bodies and the all important concept of sharing," said Zackowski.

"What we want them to come away from our program and graduation reunion with, is that they can say, 'I am proud to be First Nation or Metis. Headstart helped me with that and I know what it means.'"