A number of educators from aq’am, Kimberley and Cranbrook have been recognized by the Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network for their efforts teaching environmental stewardship and sustainability.
An awards ceremony was held at Blue Lake Camp on October 20, 2023.
Alfred Joseph (ʔakisq̓nuk) is a highly respected Ktunaxa Elder and past chief of the Akisqnuk Nation. He is an expert in Ktunaxa language and knowledge and an immensely passionate, dedicated and talented educator. He was a student at St Eugene’s Residential School and graduated from Olds Agricultural College. He is very knowledgeable about and utilizes all aspects of Ktunaxa Culture. He teaches Ktunaxa Language and is very involved with sharing Ktunaxa Traditional Knowledge and encouraging implementation into Ktunaxa Nation Council Programs and Policy. He has led the facilitation of 3 Ktunaxa Language Courses for CBEEN, providing teaching for over 200 educators! Being taught by Alfred, one learns this – his way of listening, speaking and being is embedded with this awareness. The awareness that all knowledge comes from the ancestors and the land itself.
Bonnie Harvey (ʔaq’am) is the ʔaq̓am Community Governance Coordinator. A champion for the Ktunaxa First Nation, Bonnie is committed to ensuring its language and culture live on. Bonnie supports governance, community and cultural programs as an active volunteer for the past 20 years (in addition to her professional experince). Bonnie is an advocate within the school system, and community. Bonnie shares her knowledge, allowing others to learn more about the Ktunaxa people. Bonnie has built many strong relationships to help support environmental ed. She regularly works with Columbia Outdoor School and Blue Lake Camp as well as CMH to collaborate with other enviro ed companies.
Jill Jennings (Kimberley) has been the Education Coordinator for Wildsight for 5 years. In this role, she has supported the logistics and coordination of 100s of programs offered to schools throughout the whole region. Besides being an impeccably organized coordinator, she has also delivered amazing programs herself, bringing her background, knowledge and skills in natural history interpretation to infuse drama, music and costumes whenever possible to her Wildsight program offerings (and even to team meetings!). Being a vital member of Wildsight’s program development team, he has been integral to creating new curriculum. program content and activities, as well as their online teacher resources.
Jodi Eskelin (Kimberley) is a certified Forest and Nature School Practitioner (FNSP) through the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada. Previously a lead educator in Purcell’s Forest Preschool program, Jodi has now switched roles and is working at Small Batch Family Care, a Waldorf-inspired early learning program, based out of the ski hill in Kimberley. Jodi is passionate about play-based learning and is committed to encouraging children and youth to connect with nature. She works constantly on growing and improving her practice, bringing in new and innovative ideas to share with her students, taking CBEEN and other Outdoor Environmental Education and early learning webinars, finding new lessons to try with her young learners. And while doing this, Jodi is constantly growing as an educator, but she is always willing to share her ideas and is always open to others ideas as well.
“I am grateful to receive this award, as being immersed in nature on a daily basis with children is truly a magical thing to witness,” she said. “Every rock, stick, piece of lichen or feather becomes a treasured item to share.”
Shonna Murphy (Cranbrook) has worked at Blue Lake Camp for the past seven years as Camp Director and then moving into Director of Programs. She has developed, taught and evaluated Environmental Education, Sustainability and Outdoor Recreation and Leadership lessons for thousands of school students and individual youth at Blue Lake and in communities throughout the East Kootenays. EE programs have focused on Trees, Wildlife, Water and soils and the interrelationships between them and interactions with people. She has been instrumental in developing and leading outdoor and environmental science programs for the ʔaq̓am community Gaurdians in Training Program. She has worked closely with ʔaq̓am Elders and teachers to develop specific ʔaq̓am land-based education programs for the ʔaq̓amnik’ School.