No Lesson is Too Small

Learning is a lifelong commitment that goes beyond the classroom. For Indigenous Peoples, curating knowledge about the land and culture is equally as important as math or science.

However, many First Nation schools struggle to provide access to land-based learning due to funding restrictions. For the Drake School in Drake, Saskatchewan, an extremely rural K-8 educational institution serving just 30 students, providing any lessons beyond the minimum is virtually impossible.

Opportunities to learn from Elders and Knowledge Keepers are limited to classroom visits rather than hands-on experiences, which limit young Indigenous Peoples in meaningfully connecting with their culture and traditions. The Drake School is seeking to fill this gap by introducing the Landtech Learners Legacy Project that will establish a permanent outdoor site where students and community members can engage in traditional education. This space will feature a 20-foot tipi, firepit gathering circle, Indigenous plantings, and culturally grounded learning resources. 

A community gathering will be held where educational materials and resources will be created to support this hands-on education. Using a traditional, land-based learning approach through ceremony and storytelling will help students understand and embody Indigenous Ways of Knowing. As Drake is a small community and hosts an even smaller school, this project will be transformative for the region, bringing everyone together to bond through Indigenous pride.  

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is contributing funding to support the Landtech Learners Legacy Project as it encourages young Indigenous Peoples to engage in meaningful learning in a safe, inclusive environment. The IRF is proud to support this initiative and recognizes the sheer impact programs like this can have in rural and remote communities, and on youth who deserve to connect with their heritage and culture in traditional ways. 

Diocese of Saskatoon