THUNDER B AY — A collaboration involving Lakehead Public Schools, the KZ Lodge Alternative Education Program and the Ministry of Natural Resources will support a local conservation program.
Details of the project were released Monday by the school board.
It said that for the past few weeks, students and teachers with the KZ program at Hammarskjold High School have taken on the task of teaching elementary students at Woodcrest and Ecole Gron Morgan public schools how to assemble Eastern Bluebird nesting boxes.
Simultaneously, Project Bineshii helped the youngsters learn the importance of traditions surrounding land-based learning, Ojibwe cultural connections and the Ojibwe language.
With the support of the MNRF, the project is providing the Lakehead Region Conservation authority's Bluebird Recovery Program with completed nesting boxes.
The KZ Lodge Alternative Education Program incorporates specialized programming related to Indigenous learning and life skills building.
It's delivered through a partnership between the school board and the Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre.
A key element of Project Bineshii was provided by Tanya Moses, who shared Ojibwe cultural knowledge about birds.
Moses, an alternative secondary school support worker at the Friendship Centre, said she believes the program is more successful when its students collaborate with students from other classes, as it helps contribute to reconciliation.
"It is important for the KZ Lodge class to share Indigenous knowledge and language and to help educate all youth about taking care of Mother Earth," she said.
KZ Lodge program teacher Lisa MacLeod said that despite having to learn virtually because of COVID-19 restrictions, the students in her class and the elementary classes are still getting a unique land-based learning opportunity "that offers them meaningful life and work skills for their futures."
The construction materials for the nesting boxes were donated by the Thunder Bay district office of the MNRF, which also provided design plans, direction, and scientific support in learning about bluebirds.
Woodcrest kindergarten teacher Virginia Steele said her students met online several times to learn about the Eastern Bluebird and how to help the population survive.
She said the children were happy to have the chance to build a nesting box with their families.
"Woven into our lessons were Anishinabek stories and teachings, and some Ojibwe language. It is extremely important for young children to keep learning about Indigenous perspectives to nurture an inclusive and respectful community," Steele added.
A video was produced to describe the project and showcase the students working on their nesting boxes at home under the supervision of their parents.
