THEK'EHDELI/JEAN MARIE RIVER - Like its students' stomachs, the school in Jean Marie River was full after a week of day camp events and the school's principal could not have been happier.

Kody Hardisty-Sangris, left, and Kyla Norwegian prepare snares during Louie Norwegian School's spring outdoor day camp, held in Jean Marie River from April 4 to 9. - photos courtesy of Connie Villeneuve

Terry Davidson, principal of the seven-student Louie Norwegian School, organized community lunches, dinners and a breakfast, as part of the school's annual spring outdoor day camp, which took place from April 4 to 9.

The day camps are held twice each year - once in winter and once in spring - so students can develop outdoor skills like trapping and snaring.

In the past, the children have gone grouse hunting and they also typically learn craft skills.

This year, the students went out to snare rabbits.

"We had day camps within the proximity of the community. One of the children's moms (Jennifer Kraus) took the children snaring for rabbits every day," said Davidson.

"They were gone each day for about three hours. They made their own rabbit snares and they set them."

Kody Hardisty-Sangris, 13, went out snaring all six days. He said he enjoyed getting outside and away from the classroom.

While he said he has snared rabbits in the past, he did learn something new from Kraus. He got some insight on "how to track a rabbit."

Hardisty-Sangris and his classmates were mostly successful in their endeavours, too.

They were able to snare one rabbit, "but then a dog took it," he said.

Davidson was impressed the students all went out again with Kraus on Saturday, on their own accord.

Each day the students took breaks from snaring to have lunch at the school.

"We had two other members of the community come to the school to prepare lunches for us," said Davidson. "We also had community dinners each day."

News of the meals spread quickly across Jean Marie River.

"It started out as dinners for the children and their parents, but basically they turned into community dinners," said Davidson.

"We served something completely different every day," he said. The menus varied each evening from spaghetti to chicken and potato salad to barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs.

The week culminated with a pancake breakfast on Friday, April 8. A general invitation was sent out to the students' parents and to members of the community and Davidson said he was pleased with how many people showed up.

"We had like 18 to 20 people (turn out,) which, for our small school, was quite phenomenal," he said.

"It used up all of our tables."

Davidson was grateful for the support the camp and the meals received from the community.

"It was great, when you think that there are only 60 people in the community," he said

"We were very pleased to have the turnout and the community support. From our perspective as a school, it was really successful."

Hardisty-Sangris said he is already excited for next year's outdoor day camp.

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