Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Snowdrift (Oct 10/05) - For an example of grassroots consensus, the territorial government has to look no further than the new student council at Lutsel K'e Dene School.

However, the territorial cabinet may worry about one variation in Lutsel K'e - the student council has no president or any other executive.

"We just wanted to make it a group and decide all together," says council member Deserae Jonasson, 13.

Deserae says everyone seems to be able to get along just fine.

She says she has learned a lot from being on the council. "We learn how to speak and be quiet at meetings."

Elizabeth Nataway, 13, says the council allows older students to be role models.

"I thought it would probably help out with our school and show people what they could do, and be a good influence on the younger children," Nataway says.

In another twist on consensus government, all students in Grade 7-10 are invited to be members of the council. Ten to 12 of them regularly participate. The school has 77 students in Kindergarten to Grade 10.

The students run their own meetings with the help of teacher/co-ordinator Kristen Nowak. Nataway says the council works well. "We agree on everything."

Elizabeth and Deserae, both Grade 8 students, were not aware their council is somewhat similar to the NWT's consensus government in Yellowknife.

The student council was the idea of principal Sheila Cavanagh, who says students are very motivated to participate.

"They decided to have a co-operative type of leadership," Cavanagh says, noting that style of government is in keeping with Dene tradition.

The new student council, which meets every Monday after school, has undertaken a number of projects.

Its first goal is to raise money to send six students to a Dream Catchers conference this month in Edmonton.

Cavanagh says, instead of just asking people for money, the students are working for support. Some students recently helped set up a meeting in the community, and raised $900.

"It allows then to take leadership and responsibility, and also contribute to the community," the principal says.

Past attempts to organize a student council at the school fizzled after a couple of weeks, Cavanagh notes.

However, she is confident the new council is here to stay. "It seems to be well on the way now."

Among other things, the student council is planning movie nights, a dance, a haunted house for Halloween and a Christmas concert.