By Brenda Oler, Lajla Loughran and Kyden Johnson
Tucked away in the beautiful countryside, amongst the orchards and farms, Canyon-Lister Elementary School sits nestled quietly near the mountains. We may be small and secluded, but big things are happening at our amazing school! We could think of hundreds of reasons why Canyon School is a wonderful place to learn, but here are some of the best highlights.
There are definitely perks to being hidden amongst the farmlands and trees. Did you know that Canyon-Lister School has an enchanting forest as an Outdoor Classroom? The forest is an amazing space that students can use for both work and fun. Students also play on the winding forest trails, study the plants and wildlife, and have class meetings surrounded by the trees and fresh mountain air. In addition to the forest, we have built luscious garden beds for growing fruits and vegetables. With our garden, students have the opportunity to learn about agriculture, how to care for various plants, and students can see the benefit and joy of growing your own food. We even grew enough lettuce and veggies to have a salad party for our whole school. Yum! With the support of our Ktunaxa mentors, Canyon School has also raised a beautiful traditional Tipi in our Outdoor Classroom, where students are free to play and do their schoolwork.
Our Tipi is just one of the many ways that students and staff celebrate Aboriginal Culture at our school. Students in the Ab Ed program have the opportunity to work with our fabulous Aboriginal Education Teacher to design and create unique Regalia to embrace their Aboriginal heritage. All students at Canyon-Lister School are able to learn about different First Nations traditions, such as beading, drumming, weaving, and making traditional foods. We are also fortunate to have Moose and Michael, our Ktunaxa mentors, visit our school throughout the year to teach children about the local Ktunaxa culture.
While the Outdoor Classroom and Aboriginal Education program are amazing, do you know what the best part about our school is? Canyon-Lister School is a community! All students and staff are made to feel like they are an important part of our school family. Teachers and staff welcome student ideas and suggestions and students are encouraged to be critical thinkers and creative learners. No matter what grade or age, students all make an effort to get along and work together. What a marvelous place to learn and make memories. We cannot wait to see what next year brings!