Crowther Memorial inaugurates new student chief and council

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Crowther Memorial Junior High School inaugurated its new student chief and council, Nov. 28, bringing in the sixth year of the program at the school. 

“We are very happy that we now have a student chief and council. We go through a process in the fall where we put up the application, students apply, we interview them and their job – the ones who are selected to be chief and council, is to bring their ideas, culture, language, and the Nitsitapi teachings into the school,” said Shirley Spotted Eagle, Indigenous liaison with Crowther Memorial. “The students are very active in whatever activities they want. The student chief and council can take leads … volunteer to MC events; some of the students who dance are on chief and council, and our students attend meetings once a week.”

Spotted Eagle explained the idea to have a student chief and council operating at school is not a new one, as several other schools within the division also have similar clubs and student bodies operating. 

She added it is an opportunity to bring First Nations teachings and culture into the student body, create learning opportunities and excitement about the topics. 

“They have come up with a lot of great ideas of where they want the club to go and certain activities that they would like to do. A couple of them have really taken charge of, for instance, fundraising and they have taken a lot of initiative,” said Wayne Hvingelby, a teacher at Crowther Memorial. “Our chief this year came up with the idea of having our own hand games tournament here and incorporating other schools to come in from elsewhere and also make sure we can teach the game to them so they can participate.”

Crowther Memorial has not put a cap on the number of students who are allowed or able to be a part of the chief and council at any given time. The idea being to encourage students who show an interest in developing leadership and associated skills. 

Hvingelby added despite having a slow start to the program originally, it now sees both native and non-native students actively expressing interest in participating.

“We have Metis students showing up, we have Inuit showing up as well, and so this is where it is just really great to have the diverse Indigenous cultures all across coming out and being represented here,” he said. “There are a lot of Indigenous students who are bringing out their friends … to come out and show up and participate and they are a big part of our club as well, which is really great.”

Ultimately it becomes up to the students themselves to set the direction and goals of the club, with assistance from their teachers in order to facilitate events and support their desired projects.