A Stoney Nakoda Elder is promoting continuing education after he was among Stoney students awarded certificates from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and Lethbridge Community College March 3.
Allie Lefthand graduated from SAIT’s essential skills program through the Calgary-based school’s on-reserve program.
“I enjoyed everything. The instructors taught me a lot and now I want to teach the younger generation – it’s never too late to educate yourself, no matter how old you are,” said Lefthand, 55.
The ceremony, held at the Bearspaw Youth Centre in Morley, graduated one of the “biggest” and “most successful” classes to date, according to organizers.
“We had the lowest drop-out rate this year,” said Brandy Dixon, office assistant for the Bearspaw Human Resource Department, who helped keep the students on track.
“I didn’t stop bugging them and kept checking on everyone on a regular basis.”
Between two SAIT courses – frontline service hospitality and tourism, and essential skills and customer relations – and the Lethbridge Community College health care aide program, 14 people received certificates for the 10-week programs.
“We used to have SAIT programs here back in the mid to late 90s, and we recently brought it back into the community – we wanted students to be certified in hospitality and tourism,” said Debbie Dixon, with the Bearspaw Human Resources Department.
The nation recently partnered with Banff to get more community members working in the hotel and hospitality sector and there are plans to open the Bearspaw Kananaskis Travel Centre.
Travis Ouchi, SAIT program co-ordinator, said giving students the opportunity to study closer to home – classes were held in both Morley and Eden Valley – was a factor in the success.
“For some people it would be difficult to travel every day,” Ouchi said.
Cody Potts, an Eden Valley graduate originally from Maskwacis (formerly known as Hobbema), praised the program.
Potts said he moved to Stoney Nakoda First Nation approximately a year ago to be with his partner. He then signed up for the essential skills course to further his education.
Band members from all three bands, Bearspaw, Chiniki and Wesley, were invited to register for the courses.
Bearspaw Chief Darcy Dixon congratulated the graduates at the ceremony, telling of his own post-secondary education when he graduated from a Mount Royal University program and how it “opened doors.”
Darcy said he was grateful for the graduation ceremony because it gave people something to celebrate after all the tragedy in the community.
“I know we’ve had it hard with all of the funerals lately … (but) I want to say congratulations to all the young people,” Darcy said.
Band officials said it hopes to continue offering the outreach program in the future.
One person also received their High School diploma through the Sunchild E Learning Centre.
For more information on future post-secondary courses offered on-reserve, contact the Bearspaw First Nation administration at 403-881-2609.
