​在温暖的阳光照耀下，凉爽的微风吹拂着，Tsuut'ina中学的学生们最后一次欢迎来自Hillhurst学校的学生和工作人员。

在过去的一年里，Tsuut'ina中学的学生和Hillhurst学校的五年级和六年级学生参与了一个交流项目，旨在建立建立在相互尊重和加深了解各个学校独特文化中的关系。

Hillhurst学校的前校长David Ball说：“我意识到，为了真正实现我们国家的和解，我们必须在当地层面上积极地互相了解。”

这个交流项目的想法得到了CBE原住民教育团队的支持，他们将两个社区的成员聚集在一起，讨论这些可能性。在EducationMatters的慷慨捐赠下，这些可能性得以实现。

学生们有许多机会互相交流和学习，也从其他人那里学习。他们从知识持有者Hal Eagletail那里学习从土地中学习，从长者Aroha Crowchild那里学习Dene文化教义，从Gunaha研究所那里学习语言学习。在他们在一起的时间里，建立了友谊，将截然不同的人生经历编织在一起。

“我们的基本目标是建立两个社区成员之间的关系，通过这些关系发展尊重，并使合作伙伴关系遵循互惠互利的价值观，”Ball说。

最后的四次交流之一，Hillhurst的学生来到Tsuut'ina的土地上，进行了一场展示他们合作项目的艺术漫步。在这一年里，画布、画笔和灵感从一所学校传到另一所学校。每个学生交流伙伴关系都创作了一件艺术品，代表他们对彼此的日益了解和今年工作所激发的关系。

Hillhurst校长Prem Randhawa表示：“尼希·朱纳项目对学生学习的最重要影响是加强他们对文化响应的理解。”

经过一天的传统土著游戏，一顿盛宴和许多欢笑后，两所学校的学生一起手牵手跳起了環舞。这支舞蹈象征着他们的纽带和相互关联，并是对他们通过教育实现和解所建立的关系表示感谢。这一天是一个巨大的成功，学生和老师们将会长久地铭记。

​With the warm sun shining, a cool breeze blowing, students from Tsuut’ina Middle School welcomed students and staff from Hillhurst School for one last time.

Throughout this past year, Tsuut’ina Middle School students, and the Grade 5 and 6 students from Hillhurst School participated in an exchange program to foster relationships built on mutual respect and deepening understandings of the diverse cultures within each school’s unique setting.

Former principal of Hillhurst School, David Ball said, “It occurred to me that in order to really get at reconciliation in our country, we will need to actively get to know each other at a local level, interpersonally.”

This idea for the exchange, supported by members of the CBE Indigenous Education Team, brought members of the two communities together in conversation about the possibilities. Those possibilities were realized with a generous grant from EducationMatters.

Students had many opportunities to connect and learn from each other as well as from others. They were taught about learning from the land by Knowledge Keeper Hal Eagletail, about Dene cultural teachings by Elder Aroha Crowchild and about language learning from the Gunaha Institute. During their time together, friendships were made that braided together vastly different life experiences.

“Our foundational goals were to build relationships between the two communities’ members, develop respect through those relationships, and have the partnership guided by a value of reciprocity,” said Ball.

The final of four exchange days brought Hillhurst students out to the lands of the Tsuut’ina for an art walk that showcased their collaborative projects. During the year, canvasses, paint supplies and inspiration travelled from one school to the other. Each student exchange partnership created a piece of art to represent their growing understanding of each other and the relationship that this year’s work inspired.

“The most significant impact the Nihi Juna Project had on student learning was strengthening their understanding of what it means to be culturally responsive,” said Hillhurst principal, Prem Randhawa. 

After a day of traditional Indigenous games, a feast, and much laughter, students from both schools joined hands together in a round dance. The dance symbolized their bond, interconnectedness, and was a way to give thanks for the relationships they built in light of reconciliation through education. The day was a huge success and one that students and teachers won’t soon forget.