in the 2019-2020 school year, Carseland School’s Ik ka nutsi land-based stewardship program will become a reality.

Students at Carseland School will be spending time at Wnydam-Carseland Provincial Park acting as park stewards, and working with a cultural consultant from Siksika Nation.

The school held a special assembly on February 27 to mark the honour.

There were a number of speakers and dignitaries which included members of Siksika Nation, Nutrien Carseland Nitrogen, Golden Hills School Division and Wheatland County.

Wheatland County also presented the school with a youth stewardship award.  The award recognizes the work students at Carsland School are doing with their school garden, outdoor classroom and Nature Connection program. The partnership provides Grade 5 and 6 students from the school an opportunity to visit Wyndam-Carseland Provincial Park on a weekly basis. The students will become stewards of the park. They will also practice active living skills. Students will cultivate positive social relationships, increase self-confidence and resilience, and practice wholistic wellness. 

Nutrien Carseland Nitrogen gave the school a donation of $20,000 to help fund the program.

“It’s an exciting thing,” said Brian Little Chief.

He spoke about the merging of First Nations creation story and western culture.

He also spoke a prayer and spoke of the importance of plant based-remedies and the place of First Nations culture within the curriculum.

Lori Red Crow played a song from the heart during the ceremony.

She said she has always had a special place in her heart for Carseland School.

Vinesh Kohli the general manager of Nutiren Carseland Nitrogen said, “This is so exciting. This is what we do. It’s a focus area. We are in the community. We want to participate.”

“The program fits with everything that we are all about. Nutrien is about feeding the world and our purpose really is about growing the world from the ground up and what better way of doing it, than having a classroom outside,” he said.

He was joined by Trina Aburto, Glen Ford, and Chris Paige.

“At Nutrien it’s important for us that we are inclusive” he said.

Carseland School’s Joyce Door said, “I think today went really well and I was pleased that we have so much support out there for our program.”

“I believe the kids are really going to benefit from it, both learning about the environment and then actually going through the experimental part of it, which is the touching and feeling. Using all of our five senses to be a part of the environment and learn from it,” she said,