Ms. Ryan’s Grade 5/6 class at ʔaq̓amnik School spent Wild Wednesdays of the first term in the outdoors, exploring local watersheds, Ktunaxa traditional territories, and their connection to water.

They spent a lot of time exploring the St. Mary’s River, which rises in the Purcell Mountains and flows southeasterly, through the ʔaq̓am community, to its confluence with the Kootenay River at Fort Steele.

During this time they participated in the Great Waters Challenge, which was offered to students in British Columbia.

The Great Waters Challenge program began in 2016, and was created by Waterlution to help students explore their local waters from a cultural, engineering or science perspective, allowing students and teachers to work the program into their own interests and curriculum. In year three of the program, British Columbian students have planned water celebration or action day, educating and engage other children at their school.

Waterlution’s purpose is to inspire pattern-making and pattern-breaking change towards a healthy and sustainable relationship with water. At the core of their work is the belief that by engaging future young leaders with mentors directly, they are facilitating the development of powerful leadership skills, effective community building, and directing passion into focused and purposeful action.

Ms. Ryan’s class is very proud to have participated in the Great Waters Challenge, and to have won a class set of surprise swag from Columbia Basin Trust.

Pictured above: Rick Allen from the Columbia Basin Trust presents ʔaq̓amnik School Nasuʔkin Nana Kiana George and Ms. Ryan’s Class with their Great Waters Challenge Prize. Photo submitted

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