Erin Freeland-Ballantyne ’99—Founder of the Bush University Centre for Research and Learning, Akaitcho Region, Denendeh, NWT Rhodes Scholar Erin Freeland-
university studies, Erin hopes to
Ballantyne ’99 is on a mission: to
change these statistics through
change the landscape of post-
the creation of Dechinta. Erin
secondary education for Northern
founded Dechinta: Bush University
youth. “The K-12 education system
Centre for Research and Learning
in the North uses primarily
in the Akaitcho Region, Denendeh,
Alberta curriculum. It is failing
NWT. “Located off the grid in a
youth; it rarely validates or
remote eco-lodge accessible only
integrates their cultural values or
by bush plane, snowmobile or
recognizes the unique knowledge
dog team, it is a legacy project
northern youth hold,” says Erin.
that demonstrates Canada’s
During the five years she spent
commitment to the enhanced
researching her Oxford Ph.D.
capacity and ability of Northern
on Sustainability’s Paradox:
Peoples to fully participate in
Community Health, Climate
protecting arctic sovereignty
Change and Petrocapitalism, she
through enhanced human
lived in and worked for Fort Good
capacity and northern involvement
Hope, a small, air-only community
in international circumpolar
in the NWT. Because there are so
leadership” (http://dechinta.ca/
many non-attending high-school-
about/what-dechinta-offers/).
aged youth in the North, Erin was motivated to design a youth-based research project in which youth actively participated. The project, primarily video-based, was offered in English and in Dene. The youth helped define what kind of research needs to be happening in
Erin Freeland-Ballantyne ’99 chats with the The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who spent an afternoon and evening at Dechinta during the Dene Self Determination in Theory and in Practice core course this summer.
Mr. Mason’s English and Drama On the Dechinta website, there
classes as “training her to think in
is the claim that “The Dechinta
a bigger way.” These immersive,
experience is an educational
integrative classroom experiences
experience like no other.” This
have informed Erin’s vision of
expression echoes the same
secondary and post-secondary
claim made by LCS and indeed,
education.
for Erin, LCS was an “experience like no other.” Because her
Her goal with Dechinta is to offer
first experience of LCS was the
transferable credits and to offer
Algonquin trip in Grade 12, her
a full degree program. Eleven
experience as a land-based learner
universities and 13 different First
was validated and celebrated. She
Nations have participated in the
says: “Algonquin made me feel like
Dechinta curricular programs.
I had something to offer Lakefield.”
Dechinta designs and delivers a
An LCS student for her Grade 12
university-credited semester on
Erin was born and raised in the
and OAC years, Erin says that
critical northern issues led by
North. Her Masters and Ph.D,
“thinking was valued and critical
professors, elders and leaders.
both from Oxford, have focused
thinking skills were encouraged
This intergenerational, land-based
on Northern youth. With a 90%
and expected.” She credits Mr.
scholarship engages students in
drop out rate among Northern
Boyko’s World Issues class, Mr.
their history, is rooted in a radical
youth during their first-year of
Sunderland’s Science class and
framework of decolonization and
the North. Erin witnessed firsthand how infusing pedagogy with land-based learning changed the way these youth viewed education. They were engaged, excited, and eager to achieve this high school credit.
Grove News Spring/Summer 2011 | 21