Deshaye Catholic School is unique in the fact that the majority of our students are new to our country. Of our twenty grade eight students, thirteen are new citizens to Canada. This statistic was one of the leading motivating factors to ensure that this opportunity was fulfilled. Many of our students had yet to experience the wonder and variety of activities that present themselves during our beautiful Canadian winters. Students were engaged all while demonstrating respect in each activity through their application of the ‘leave no trace’ principles.
Our students participated in quinzhee building, snow shoeing, fire building/outdoor cooking, cross-country skiing and tobogganing. In addition, our students were engaged in a number of outdoor games that typically cannot be played in the city. One of the highlights of the experience was our night hike. The night hike provided students a time to individually reflect as well as partake in a number of activities along the way. The students shared heartfelt and deep connections from their lives to this experience.
The entire experience would be considered a HUGE success! As an educator, it is so important to provide these opportunities to our students, especially those who have limited experiences. Students walked away from this experience with a newfound appreciation for our Saskatchewan winters and nature, new life experiences and skills and forged stronger relationships with their peers. We are looking forward to continuing this opportunity at Deshaye Catholic School with our future grade eight students.