Pen pals reach out from city to reserve

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It was one letter exchange that did not go through the usual channels.

Instead of relying on Canada Post or the Internet, Grade 4 pen pal buddies from Chief Taylor elementary school at Onion Lake First Nation and Father Gorman school in Lloydminster decided to swap cards and pictures in a more time-honored way.

Following ancient tradition, their letter bundles were carried back and forth via 'parfleche express.'

'Parfleche' is an early French Canadian expression meaning 'to parry or stop an arrow.' The Coureur de Bois used it to describe the traditional bison-rawhide carrying cases of the Plains Cree, which could, in a pinch, double as a very tough shield.

"We decided not to send the letters by regular post, " explained Cindy Oestreicher, Grade 4 teacher from Chief Taylor school.

"We gathered all the children's correspondence in folded packages, which were hand delivered between Onion Lake and Lloydminster," said Oestreicher.

This is the second year of the pen pal program, which gives the students a chance to meet kids from another community, practice letter writing skills and see what life is like at a different school.

"We have written a series of letters in which the children introduced themselves, talked about their hobbies and how they were looking forward to meeting each other in person," said Oestreicher.

The pen pal program, which got underway in December, was designed to include two exchange field trips between city and reserve.

In mid-March, students from Onion Lake bused into Lloydminster to share a day of art, crafts and traditional food.

"The kids were very excited to be able to come into town, meet their pen pals and put a face to the name. They wanted to get together with kids from outside of their own homes," said Chief Taylor teacher Brenda Keller.

"Interacting with other kids, seeing that they were working on the same things that kids in town are doing, has definitely helped with their literary skills and writing program. It gives them a goal and a purpose, learning to communicate with their pen pals, writing statements, asking questions," said Keller.

The field trip included a glass bead working craft.

"We thought it would be cool to work together on a project. The beaded headdress project went really well. A lot of different creations and color combinations that we didn't expect," said Keller.

In anticipation of the upcoming powwow season, Chief Taylor student Monica Whitstone modeled an orange feather headdress and face glitter, and posed with her pen pal.

"It was pretty cool to come into town and meet my pen pal. It was my first trip to Father Gorman school, and I want to come back" said Monica.

The finished headdresses will go on display in the front foyer, along with an extensive collection of student artwork based on Aboriginal themes, and are destined to go home as Father's Day gifts.

"The program has really helped the children's literacy, writing back and forth," explained Father Gorman's Aboriginal liaison Teresa Rowland.

"They will be that much more enthusiastic, now that they have met their pen pals. We still have several months left in the school year for them to talk, and now they will have more to talk about," said Rowland.

With one successful field trip leading to another, the city kids from Father Gorman school will soon be gearing up for a day out at Chief Taylor elementary school.

"Now that the students have met each other in town, we are going to reciprocate the invitation and have the Lloydminster kids come out to Onion Lake. With our in-school Elder Mr. Andrew Wapass to guide us, we are going to teach them how to play traditional hand games," said Keller.