Students benefit from exchange program

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Taking part in the Kids from Ka-na-ta cross-cultural exchange program was a life-altering experience for students in Rhonda Kayseas' Grade 6 class at the George Gordon Education Centre.

The students were paired up with Warren Kluss' Grade 7 class at Walnut Park elementary school in Smithers, B.C. and spent the school year getting to know each other. Each class was given an assignment to do research on their history, language, culture and current realities, then they shared their findings with their exchange partners, Kayseas said.

The students also exchanged e-mail messages and each class created a wampum box to send to their newfound friends.

"They use the symbolism of a wampum belt because it's like two nations sharing the same river, going side-by-side, respecting each other's culture, language and tradition," Kayseas said. "So we fill it up with different things regarding our area and the languages and history of here and we send it off to them and subsequently they do the same."

Classes taking part in the program can also apply for funding for a face-to-face visit through the Society for Educational Visits and Exchanges in Canada. Kayseas and Kluss applied and were approved, allowing the Smithers' kids to spend a week on Gordon First Nation, and kids from Gordon to spend a week in Smithers. The Walnut Park students were on Gordon First Nation from May 24 to May 30. Kayseas and her class were in Smithers from June 4 to 10.

During their time in Saskatchewan, the B.C. visitors were exposed to the culture of their hosts, taking part in a welcoming event complete with pipe ceremony and local powwow group Grey Buffalo performing an honour song, experiencing a cultural camp, visiting Wanuskewin Heritage Park, and listening as an Elder told of the history of Gordon First Nation.

"They really embraced our culture and our traditions and they did their best to participate in everything that we did," Kayseas said of the visiting students.

Things got interesting once it was time for the students from Gordon to make their way to Smithers. Of the 14 student and four chaperones that made the trip, only two had ever flown before.

"By the time we got to the Regina airport the fear was so great. They were so anxious and scared," Kayseas said. "So we formed a circle and we had one of our Elders there and he prayed for a safe flight and safe return."

While in Smithers, the students visited Twin Falls, went to the 'Ksan Historical Village and visited the Morristown reserve.

"It's been an incredible experience for the partnered school and for us," Kayseas said.

Through participating in the exchange, her students have gained a new self-esteem and pride in their culture. It has also shown them that there?s a whole world out there waiting for them.

"There was one girl, she said to me "My mom never went anywhere. I'm going to go somewhere." Whether that means academically or whether that means geographically, in her mind now, she realizes she can go somewhere," Kayseas said.

"Because I think back to when I was younger and there's always "No, you can't do that. No, you have to stop doing that. That's too far to go." All these boundaries. And now, with these Grade 6 students thinking that there an no boundaries, that's pretty incredible."