Rotary HIP 7090: HONOURING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (HIP)
“Can we dum
p yet?”
The excitement was contagious as students in Pikangikum got out on the water to build their canoeing skills. Jim and Marjorie Dawson of RC Norfolk Sunrise were recently in Pikangikum, a northern Ontario First Nation, to provide canoe training for Grade 7 class and the outdoor education class. After a number of recent tragedies in the community, Cindy Spence, the Principal of the EBS school, asked Jim and Marjorie if they could come and provide a much-needed distraction for the students who had recently lost a member of their class.
p yet?” The excitement was contagious as students in Pikangikum got out on the water to build their canoeing skills. Jim and Marjorie Dawson of RC Norfolk Sunrise were recently in Pikangikum, a northern Ontario First Nation, to provide canoe training for Grade 7 class and the outdoor education class. After a number of recent tragedies in the community, Cindy Spence, the Principal of the EBS school, asked Jim and Marjorie if they could come and provide a much-needed distraction for the students who had recently lost a member of their class.
-submitted by Jim Dawson
They were able to get the entire Grade 7 class out canoeing as they split the class into three sections and that allowed them to provide basic canoe training, and lots of fun for the students, most of whom had never been in a canoe before. Jim said it is amazing to see students with no experience quickly being able to handle a canoe even in windy conditions.
While in the community, they were able to certify many members of the Outdoor Education class to level 2 or 3 canoeing as well as certifying four teachers and admin staff to level 3 canoeing.
Getting students out on the land with experiential learning is so important to give youth self-confidence, useful life skills and a sense of accomplishment as many successfully met the requirements to qualify for canoeing certificates.