聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 A science fair was held at the Keeseekoose Chiefs Education Centre on Friday, marking the first time ever that the Yorkton Tribal Council hosted a multiple community science fair.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations executive committee applauds the groundbreaking effort by the tribal council, teachers and students, said a release from FSIN communications.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The science fair was organized by Mary-Ann Ketchemonia, a teacher at Keeseekoose who was also the emcee of the program. Participating were students from Keeseekoose, Cote, Ocean Man and Ochapowace First Nations, while students of the Kamsack Comprehensive Institute attended as observers.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The program began with a selection performed by the Crowe Singers Drug Group of Keeseekoose and a prayer by elder Stella Ketchemonia.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Richard Fiddler, principal of Keeseekoose Chiefs, reminded the audience that First Nation people had a refined understanding of science, having understood and followed the migration of animals for thousands of years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hey had respect for nature, and took only what they needed,鈥� Fiddler said. 鈥淭hey are the original environmentalists.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Fiddler said that now that literacy and mathematics are well understood, the next focus is science.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He welcomed the students, commended Mary-Ann Ketchemonia for her work in organizing the science fair and stressed the importance of education. He said many graduates of Keeseekoose have gone ton to become teachers, business people, board members, lawyers, court officers and scientists.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淓ducation is the key to becoming productive adults and meaningful careers in science, from medicine to astronomy,鈥� he said, adding that it was good to see the youth growing up and finding fields that in previous years would have been unheard of.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Rhonda Tide led her Grade 1 class in reciting poems about polar bears and penguins.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Felix Wapash, junior chief of the school, thanked everyone for attending and the sponsors and welcomed everyone to the event.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his is a big day for Keeseekoose,鈥� said Chief Lyndon Musqua, who talked about his time attending the Fort Livingstone School in Pelly where his science project involved testing two brand names of diapers to determine which was the better.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Musqua said that he was seeing some amazing science displays and said he was happy to see representatives of several communities attending because that shows respect among communities.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Proportionally, Keeseekoose has more students enrolled in post-secondary institutions than any other First Nation in Saskatchewan, Musqua said, adding that he is proud of the school, teachers and parents.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Katherine Trebish of Yorkton, a consultant with YTC, said that it was 鈥渃ool鈥� to celebrate First Nation science and told the students that being called a 鈥渟cience nerd鈥� is an awesome thing because science nerds are the people who will grow up to make changes, become leaders and doctors.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kianna Kakakaway, a Grade 8/9 student, thanked the YTC for supporting the fair and welcomed everyone attending.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jesse Bazzul, Mike McCoy and John MacDonald, who are members of the University of Regina education faculty, attended the fair with seven student teachers, to evaluate the science displays.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bazzul said he was honoured to have been invited and that he hoped this event was the beginning of a long partnership with the YTC and the beginning of great things to come.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was announced that the top two science displays from each of the schools participating would qualify to advance to the FSIN Science Fair being held in Saskatoon March 20 and 21. The winners of that fair are to advance to the Canadian Science Fair.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t is vital for our youth to complete their education in the area of science and technologies, FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said in a release. 鈥淓ducation is the key to building healthier people and communities.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he FSIN is proud of our young people as they apply their inherent and treaty right to education embarking on meaningful careers.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e want to encourage our young ones to develop an interest in science and technology because it will help position them for the job market of the future,鈥� Chief Musqua said. 鈥淲e already have a great demand in our First Nations communities for people in health sciences, and that demand will only increase as our population grows.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The FSIN Education and Training Secretariat helps to organize an average of 20 science fairs a year at First Nation schools culminating with the annual Saskatchewan First Nations Science Fair in March, the release said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The FSIN represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan. The Federation is committed to honouring the spirit and intent of the treaties, as well as the promotion, protection and implementation of the treaty promises that were made more than a century ago
