Conference is coming…soon!

Registration is now open for the 4th Annual First Nation Education Conference on March 22-23 at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre.

This year’s theme is: Our language. Our culture. Our way.

We have two full days of exciting guest speakers, including keynote speakers: Dr. Alex Wilson and Notorious Cree (James Jones). Also entertaining us at the gala event will be Conway Kootenay. Join us for a fashion show and delicious meal for just $5 with all proceeds going to First Nations Grad. Free for youth and elders.

Check out the full event line-up and get your tickets right away!

Winter doesn’t slow us down

The dark days of winter don’t put a damper on our Education Advocates. We got some CAFN youth snowboarding for the first time - even making it up the big hill!

Horse Camp is up and running again for the new year at Heart Bar Ranch with Gail Reiderer, owner and operator.

Horse camp specializes in heart-centered horsemanship and guides the participants in learning the fundamentals of horsemanship with wrangling, grooming, and horse safety lessons in horse handling and communication with support from horse handlers, Advocates and Junior Advocates.

And sometimes it’s good to get out of the cold. From grade 9 students at CSSC Mercier taking a traditional cooking class to hand-games at Selkirk, and from learning songs at the firepit to building drums - youth are finding new ways to engage with culture.

Education Advocates Meaghen Kimmitt, Blake Lepine and Georgia McInnis hosted a hand-games drum workshop, facilitated by Jared Kane. We worked with seven youth who spent five hours every evening for five evenings in a row making drums with us. It was the perfect number of youth to work with. (We had originally planned for 20 which would have been quite hectic!) We had the help of other senior and junior advocates dropping in throughout the week. 

FNSB update

The First Nation School Board has some potential new recruits for the 2023-24 school year.

There will be referendum votes at the following schools:

• Del Van Gorder School, Faro

• Eliza Van Bibber School, Pelly Crossing

• Ghùch Tlâ Community School, Carcross

• Kluane Lake School, Destruction Bay

Referendum voting begins on Thursday, February 16, and be open until Monday, February 27. More details are below:

• Early applications for mail-in ballots will open on Friday, February 10.

• In-person voting will be available locally at those schools holding a referendum vote on Saturday, February 25 from 11 am to 4 pm and Monday, February 27 from 3 pm to 8 pm.

• In-person voting will also be available to all eligible electors at Elections Yukon’s Whitehorse office in the Jim Smith Building, at 2071 Second Avenue on business days during the referendum period. Appointments can be made locally outside of the set hours.
  

Additional information on voting options and eligibility is available at ElectionsYukon.ca. Official results will be available on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. 

For all your latest FNSB news, go to the website at FNSB.ca or follow on Facebook or Instagram.

A food-filling December

It was non-stop for our Nutrition team in December. Even with some delays and changes for delivery, we managed to get out hampers to First Nations families across the territory.

Many of the YFNED team also joined us for the Christmas Feast where, on top of a delicious meal, we had activities for all ages. 🎅

We have two feasts coming up during March Break: March 11th and 18th at the KDCC.

Follow our Facebook page to get event reminders!

Recognition for Early Years

The Martin Family Initiative created a beautiful annual report that included mini booklets with a spotlight on Early Years programming in communities across Canada, including ours here in the Yukon.

Read more about Karmen’s story here. (Yes, our program assistant, Karmen!)

Early Years — February activities

Journey into Trades

In mid-January we gathered people from across the trades to talk about how to improve access for Indigenous young people. This is just the first step to getting more First Nations students into their dream careers, and ensuring local labour for our communities and industry.

Our next meeting is Monday, February 20th.

Welcome New Staff!

Welcome to our new YFNED team members!

Lynn Rice Rideout and Esther Worthington joined our Early Year team as Early Year Visitors. Welcome to the department!

Jenna Colwell started in Ross River as our Community Therapy Assistant. We are happy to have a new member of the allied health team in one of the communities we work with.

Joanna Dick is supporting Early Years in Ross River as a programming assistant. She started January 23. Joanna is Kaska Dene.

UPCOMING EVENTS

February 1: Registration opens for 4th Annual First Nation Education Conference

February 11-16: 50th anniversary of Together Today for Our Children Tomorrow

February 13: CCOE meeting

February 16-27: Voting for FNSB referendum

March 11 & 18: Spring Break Family Feasts

March 22-23: 4th Annual First Nation Education Conference

March 28-29: Early Years Assessment Conference