Thirty-three First Nations and Metis students from Cochrane’s Glenbow Elementary School were honoured May 30 with a BMO Financial Group National Student Innovation Award.
Topping the podium in the ‘Impact on Community’ category, the Grade 1-4 students were recognized for their work developing the Warrior Paint: Painting to Fight Hunger initiative — a collection of greeting cards displaying the children’s artwork. The ceremony was held at Calgary’s First Canadian Centre.
The Warrior Paint project is the brainchild of the students involved in the school’s Roots and Wings program, in answer to a call of help from the Iyahrhe Nakoda Food Bank Society in Morley. At the time of the call — earlier this year — the students were creating collaborative paintings incorporating photos of their ancestors.
“One of the children said to me, ‘Too bad people can’t eat paintings,’” said Sherri Rinkel Mackay, one of the teachers overseeing the program at Glenbow Elementary School.
From there, the children and teachers worked with mentors to form a business plan and strategies to market greeting card versions of the images. Proceeds from the sales of the cards go to the Nakoda Food Bank, a resource that many of the children have a connection with.
“I want to help raise money to buy more food, so the food bank can help more people,” said one of the Grade 1 students, who didn’t wish to have his name published. “I feel happy to help people because they won’t be hungry, like me sometimes.”
Mackay said the children have been involved in each step of the process — from start to finish.
“One of the gifts of this project is that the children’s notion of themselves has changed, along with their notion of skills and their place in the community,” said Mackay. “We were creating these images using photos of their historical ancestors, but through this they are creating new possibilities.”
Along with a certificate, the award came with a cheque for $500, which Mackay said the children wanted to donate to the food bank.
A cheque will be presented to the Iyahrhe Nakoda Food Bank Society June 14, during the school’s mini-powwow. The event is slated to begin around 12:45 at Glenbow Elementary School.
For $15, the greeting cards can be purchased locally at Guy’s Café and Bakery and Sobeys.
