Partnership to bring Algonquin courses to Northern Connections

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Craig Bakay

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Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation Chief Doreen Davis, program coordinator Penny Tryon and Northern Connections Adult Learning Centres Executive Director Joyce Bigelow announced their partnership Saturday in Sharbot Lake. The painting in the background is by local artist Valerie Hermer.

Craig Bakay, Frontenac EMC

Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation Chief Doreen Davis, program coordinator Penny Tryon and Northern Connections Adult Learning Centres Executive Director Joyce Bigelow announced their partnership Saturday in Sharbot Lake. The painting in the background is by local artist Valerie Hermer.

EMC News The Northern Connections Adult Learning Centre, Sharbot Lake High School and Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation have joined forces to "combine academic and traditional cultural teachings, with a vision towards participants achieving their own personal goals."

The partnership was announced at an open house Saturday at the Northern Connections Sharbot Lake site.

"Northern Connections and the (Limestone District) school board have already created a relationship before Christmas, so now we will be adding some culturally appropriate material," said Joyce Bigelow, Northern Connections' executive director. "We've received some funding from the Ministry of Education for this program and hopefully the transition will be seamless.

"We have the experience in teaching and instruction we already provide literacy and computer training (and) I see a self-employment aspect to this that we can help foster."

"A lot of our people don't read, don't comprehend very well," said Shabot Obaadjiwan Chief Doreen Davis. "They were pushed through the school system and we're trying to entice them to come back by bringing cultural knowledge to the curriculum."

To that end, the first venture will be a fan-making workshop Feb. 18/19 at the Northern Connections Centre on Hwy. 7. It's a no-cost workshop but spaces are limited. Call Penny Tryon (613-329-0765/613-335-2565) or Laurie Watson (613-279-2499) to register.

Davis said they're planning several traditional skills workshops, to be run by band elders, including hide tanning, trapping, wild rice cultivation and Algonquin language courses.

Bigelow said she's excited about the new program and that they have time and resources to devote to it since employment services moved to the St. Lawrence College facility in Sharbot Lake.

Program coordinator Penny Tryon said the program is intended to be a "way back in" to education.

"It's a small first step," she said.