The Stoney Nakoda Elementary School is officially open.
Political dignitaries, respected elders and students alike filed into the gymnasium of the new school Wednesday morning, all to celebrate the education, culture and bright future of young residents of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
The bright and airy elementary school is the home to students ranging from kindergarten to Grade 6. Built to accommodate 550 students, the school is loaded with features like SMART Boards, computers, a music room, a roomy library and — the best part for nine-year-old Jayden Rain — a gym.
“Gym is my favourite part of the school,” said Rain, a Grade 4 student who spoke of aspirations of being a doctor or a singer. “It’s bigger. And we have gym everyday except Monday.”
Before starting at Nakoda Elementary in September, the elementary age students were a part of the Morley Community School. Sharing the gym with classes from K-12 was difficult, said elementary teacher Shelly Taylor, so gym time was limited.
“It just feels like a safer environment,” she said. “We don’t have the influence of the older students and the classes are bigger and cleaner. I find the kids really enjoy coming to school.”
Gym class aside, the school is focused on teaching students their culture and the Stoney language.
“We need to educate our people — our youth — that (our culture) has heroes too,” said Ernest Wesley, chief of Wesley First Nation, during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The school was constructed from funding from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. In addition to the elementary school, funding is also being used to upgrade the Morley Community School, now home to Grades 7-12.
“It’s these young people that are the future — the movers and shakers,” said the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.
“Our government continues to invest in First Nation education so that students gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to find a job and achieve the prosperity they seek.”
