SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Grade 8 students from public schools participated in leadership camps last week.

"A positive sense of self, their self-confidence and self-esteem are some of the things that are important at this age," said Michelle Krause, principal for Range Lake North School, which held its camp on Oct. 26.

"They're at that 13 to 14-year-old age where they are developing leadership skills and heading into adulthood very shortly."

The leadership camp is part of the aboriginal language culture camps organized by Yellowknife Education District No. 1 Different camps are arranged for different grades throughout the year.

Bobby Drygeese, a band councillor with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, taught the leadership camp.

"We're talking about traditional leadership skills and how leaders affect communities," said Drygeese.

Better listening skills and providing an understanding of how life was in the past were some of the things Drygeese was teaching the students.

Drygeese also taught the students traditional Dene games, art and drumming.

"It's pretty fun," said Christian Lush, a Grade 8 student at Range Lake North School. "There's lots to learn and it's good to go outside and play games.

"They also showed us how to find out whether or not you're a leader or a follower," added Lush. "I'm a leader."

Darryl Mitchener, one of the school's Grade 8 teachers, said he was pleased to see the students interested in what Drygeese was passing on to them.

"They're really listening and paying attention to what is said, which is nice to see," said Mitchener. "They always seem to respond to people coming in and speaking to them."

Leadership camps were also held at Mildred Hall School on Oct. 28 and William McDonald Middle School on Oct. 29.-

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