Coast Mountain News Thursday, June 21, 2012
$1.00 + HST Vol. 28 | No. 13 Thursday, June 21, 2012
Serving the Bella Coola Valleyy and the Chilcotin
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Our Dreams Matter Too Community Walk
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Tamara Hynd photo
Lori Saunders (left) and Tiffany Pootlass, winners of the FORED BC Intermediate category Traditional Knowledge and Medicine themed poster contest
Acwsalcta students win Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge poster contest PRESS RELEASE FOR FORED BC The annual “For Education about our environment and its natural resources” (FORED BC) Traditional Knowledge and Medicine themed poster contest celebrates the rich cultural and heritage traditions of BC’s aboriginal people. Each year, FORED provides cash prizes to aboriginal youth in primary, intermediate
and secondary grade levels. “But more important than the cash prize, is that youths are learning from their elders about their own traditional knowledge, often used in healing and land stewardship,” says FORED Program Director Cheryl Ziola. “If we don’t make an effort to preserve all that knowledge in some kind of written and artistic form, it may be lost forever.” Hundreds of
entries were received from all across BC, including band schools, as part of FORED’s Aboriginal Heritage, Education & Dialogue (AHEAD) program. A $50 prize was awarded to the following students: Primary Winner: Sekoija Spencer, Falkland Elementary School, Falkland, BC. Intermediate Winner(s) joint entry: Tiffany Pootlass and Lori Saunders, Acwsalcta School, Bella Coola, BC.
Secondary Winner: Preston Squinas, Grassy Plains School, BurnsLake, BC. “We also hope that seeing their talented poster work on our website, promoted in the media, and displayed at the Ministry of Education Office for National Aboriginal Day, will help foster a stayin-school ethic for aboriginal youth, ideally increasing their grade 12 completion rates,” added Ziola. FORED grate-
fully acknowledges the long-term support of the Province of BC, our members & our Foundation sponsors. Corporate sponsorship available. FORED BC Society, est. in 1925, provides sustainability tools, resources & consulting to communities throughout BC, including First Nations. FORED & Landscapes magazine have won seven awards, including three international awards.
The winning poster!