Dr. Kearney Junior Secondary School, located in Fort St. John, British Columbia, offers a First Nations Recovery Program. There are three teachers, two Aboriginal Support Workers and one Educational Assistant who work in this program.

Philosophy

The goal of the First Nations Program is to create an environment in which positive relationships can be developed. Adults who spend time developing relationships with youth can influence the youths behaviour and learning (Based on the book Reclaiming Youth at Risk by Brendtro, Brokenleg and Van Bockern).

Objectives of the Program

- Students to have their unique social/emotional and cultural needs and strengths recognized and built upon.

- Provide an environment where Aboriginal students feel they have a safe place to come and express (without fear of punishment or rejection) who they are and what they are feeling.

- Graduates of the program will be prepared for full entry into a grade 10 or 11 program within the regular school system.

Students attend First Nations Program in the morning. They participate in two 76-minute academic blocks. Humanities runs all year long while Math and Science run for one semester each.

In September of this year Mary Lamon from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education began working with the students in the First Nations Program. She introduced into the classroom a project designed to work with Aboriginal populations to help them improve literacy and create a knowledge building community through the use of Knowledge Forum technology (Lamon).

In her last report Lamon presents data that indicates students in First Nations Studies are increasing literacy faster than expected and are beginning to come together as a knowledge building community. As well, technology skills are also improving.