Snowdrift (Apr 11/05) - It only began last fall, but positive results are already coming out of the bush school for Lutsel K'e youth.

"I must say, we did have some success," said Angie Lantz, co-ordinator of the community's Inter-Agency Group, which oversees the bush school for the Lutsel K'e Dene Band.

All the students said they learned quite a lot at the first phase of the school in the fall, Lantz said. "They've changed their lifestyles."

The bush school is located at a government camp on Francoise Lake, on the north side of Great Slave Lake about 160km northwest of Lutsel K'e. It is aimed at helping youth aged 16-25, particularly by keeping them in school.

"There are a lot of drug and alcohol problems in this community," Lantz said.

"Quite a few of our youth have gotten into trouble with the law."

She said the bush school is designed to get young people thinking of replacing negative behaviour with a healthy lifestyle.

"Having an environment devoid of all the negative stuff and focusing on developing new and healthy lifestyles might be the answer."

Phase one of the bush school ran from September to December with 10 boys.

Four of the boys went back for phase two, which began in late February, three are back in regular school and the remaining three haven't gotten into further trouble.

Phase two of the bush school, with four boys and five girls, and will run until the second week of May.

Gary Michel, 19, attended the bush school in the fall for a couple of weeks before returning to Lutsel K'e when a relative became ill.

Michel said he would recommend the school to other young people. "Because when you're out there you think a lot."

Michel says the bush school gets young people away from the distractions of Lutsel K'e.

"It's just that you learn a lot of respect and discipline, too," he explained.

The 19-year-old, who is not in regular school, applied for the bush school to upgrade his academic skills with the hope of attending an auto mechanics course at Aurora College.

Jerry Maziuk, principal of the Lutsel K'e Dene School, says he has noticed a definite change among students who attended the bush school.

"The level of maturity increased, undoubtedly," Maziuk said. "Reading and writing levels increased tremendously."

Plus, he noted the students are sitting quietly in class and doing their work.

Maziuk believes the change could be because the teacher works closely with the students and the wilderness setting creates a desire for survival and academic success.

The Lutsel K'e Dene School contributes a full-time teacher to the bush school, along with text books.

There are also two traditional instructors, a drug and alcohol counsellor and a trades instructor.

There are seven cabins at the bush camp, including a main cabin used as a classroom and dining hall.

"It's quite comfortable there," Lantz said, noting the young people live in two-bedroom cabins.

"They have to participate in all the chores," she said, noting that includes things like cutting wood, carrying water and cooking.

They also learn traditional skills like hunting and trapping and preparing caribou hides.

Aside from academic studies, with a concentration on upgrading, the young people also learn first aid, gun safety, trapping safety and small engine repair.

The students are kept busy, she noted. "That's a step to a healthy lifestyle."

Lantz estimates the cost of the bush school at less than $400,000 for the first year.

Initial expenses included winterizing the cabins and buying snowmobiles. Plus, unfavourable ice conditions in the fall meant equipment had to be helicoptered into the camp.

Supporting agencies

Lantz said the bush school is the result of many years of public meetings at which both elders and youth suggested the idea.

Along with the Lutsel K'e Dene Band, the bush school is supported by numerous agencies, including the Department of Health and Social Services; MACA; Human Resources Development Canada; RWED; the Akaitcho Territory Government; the Lutsel K'e Dene School; the South Slave Divisional Education Council; the Dene Yati Chipewyan Language Program; and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Lantz says whether the bush school will continue depends on the results of the first year and continuing support from the various funding organizations.

She predicts that next year the bush school may be opened up to other youth in the Akaitcho territory.