Schools Program

Keep up to date with our programming activities.

Celebrating World Water Day with an Adventure in Alberta

April 9th, 2024

We're still processing our awesome adventure in Alberta around World Water Day. 😮‍💨

In March 2024, four departments at Water First came together in Alberta for two weeks to help strengthen relationships out west, to deliver water science programming to students, and to celebrate World Water Day!

Too many amazing moments happened during this trip to be able to share them all in detail, so enjoy some of the highlights.

From the rooftop of the venue hosting the Alberta Water and Wastewater Operator Association‘s Women of Water event, a very special group pic of people from four different Water First departments working together!

Witnessing beautiful tributes to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S), dance competitions and tons of handmade artwork at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary‘s Red Dress Traditional Powwow.

On the frozen Bow River, students from Mînî Thnî Community School put the skills they learned earlier in the week to the test as they collect water through a hole in the ice to measure different water quality parameters.

Anemometers being used to measure wind speed (and also, apparently, how many km/h students can blow 🌬️).

The students at Clarence Sansom School in Calgary weren’t quite as excited as Adrianna about the 10cm of snow that fell overnight, but they were definitely excited for a week of water science workshops!

Measuring dissolved oxygen is always a favourite test during a workshop. After breaking off the tip of a glass tube, the magical (or scientific!) colour changing reveals your results!

The Water First gang posing with Taryn Meyers from CAWST at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology World Water Day Expo. Taryn hosted the panel that SJ (second from the left) had spoken on just hours before this photo. We all bought matching, hand-made bags from Disa Crow Chief, another incredible panelist at the event.

Speaking on a World Water Day panel alongside Disa Crow Chief and Nicole Newton, hosted by Taryn Meyers, our Director of Community Engagement, Sarah Jayne, tries her best not to look at her coworkers during the panel because we were all too proud of her, and our “encouraging eyes” would send her over the edge.

A bitter-sweet moment captured as we wrap up two amazing weeks in Alberta, arms weary from carrying the monitoring gear through one final snowy, uphill haul.

Considering the Barriers to Clean, Safe Water on World Water Day

March 20th, 2024

On March 22, Water First asks us to reflect on the safety of a resource many of us take for granted

Creemore, Ontario March 20, 2024 — As we approach World Water Day on March 22, Water First Education and Training Inc. wants to know what safe water means to you.

For the Creemore, Ontario-based nonprofit, safe water means continuing to collaborate with Indigenous communities that have identified education and training as critical solutions to many water challenges. It means removing barriers to opportunities that may exist in other classroom models. It means building local capacity for independent and long-term water protection. It means skilled, passionate people working in their communities.

From the launch of the recent Drinking Water Internship Program with Interlake Reserves Tribal Council in Manitoba – the first such program to be implemented outside of Ontario, to the new ground-breaking Environmental Water Internship Program, Water First is dedicated to working in collaboration with Indigenous communities across Canada to support safe water sustainability.

Safe water can mean a lot of things, from the personal to the practical, and it means something different to every person in every community. For most of us, safe water means not even considering the act of turning on the tap, cooking dinner, or taking a shower. But for Indigenous communities across the country, safe water supply is at risk.

Access to safe, clean water in Indigenous communities in Canada continues to be a critical issue. In Canada, 14 percent of First Nations are affected by a drinking water advisory. The challenges are complex and layered. Communities may face issues relating to infrastructure, source water quality, or people to manage water systems – or more than one of these issues at a time.

Reflecting on the importance of World Water Day and raising awareness of the disproportionate effects of climate change and the number of drinking water advisories in Indigenous communities, John Millar, Water First’s Founder and Executive Director, says, “To me, safe water means the ability to feel respected because everyone should have access to safe, clean drinking water in Canada. It is disrespectful that the vast majority of people in Canada do – while far too many people in Indigenous communities do not.”

Many Indigenous communities in Canada have identified the need for more qualified, local personnel to support solving water issues. Water First training, education and internship programs, developed in collaboration with the communities in which these programs are being implemented, help ensure that there are skilled people to keep local water safe for the long term.

For Hunter Edison, a graduate of the Drinking Water Internship Program now employed as the lead operator at his community’s water treatment plant in Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation in Northwestern Ontario, safe water means that everybody in his community can turn on their tap, fill a glass of water and drink it. Thanks to his training and employment, “If any problems arise within the community they can be addressed and resolved within a timely manner with my team.”

“To me, safe water means turning on the tap and not wondering if the source of the water was safe, or considering what equipment was used by how many skilled people,” says Water First Project Manager Krysta Wordock. “Water Operators are the invisible superheroes who make safe, clean drinking water possible.”

Says Millar, “Safe water means the ability to focus on other important things in our lives like family and friends and work and school because we’re not preoccupied with trying to figure out where we’re going to get safe water from.”

For more information on Water First’s #SafeWaterMeans campaign, and for opportunities to help support programs that address water challenges in Indigenous communities across Canada, visit www.waterfirst.ngo/springcampaign.

-30-

World Water Day is a global effort coordinated by the United Nations to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global water and sanitation crisis. This year’s theme is “Water for Peace.” Learn more at https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day.

About Water First Education & Training Inc. (Water First):
Water First is a registered Canadian charity that works alongside Indigenous communities to address water challenges through education, training, and meaningful collaboration. Since 2009, Water First has collaborated with more than 90 Indigenous communities located in the lands now known as Canada while supporting Indigenous youth and young adults to pursue careers in water science. Learn more: www.waterfirst.ngo.

For more information, please contact:

Ami Gopal
Director of Development and Communications
Water First
1-800-970-8467 ext. 106
ami.gopal@waterfirst.ngo

Lasting results begin with strong relationships

February 22nd, 2024

Lasting results begin with strong relationships

2023 Annual Report

“For Water First, the most successful projects springboard into enhanced partnerships and deeper relationships. There’s no better feeling than getting invited back to collaborate on a new project.”

Cory Girard, Project Manager
Water First

With every collaboration Water First embarks on, we strive to first understand what the community wishes for the long term, and then offer support that leverages our technical expertise.

Our goal is to co-create sustainable positive outcomes that support each community’s priorities and goals, so the benefits of the work stay with the community for generations to come. Lasting results like this are built on strong relationships, meaningful collaboration, and trust.

This year, we launched a new partnership with the Ogemawahj Tribal Council (OTC), to train Indigenous young adults to become water treatment plant operators. The announcement was made in June 2023, but the initial conversations began many months prior. Investing time in conversations and listening to ensure we understood the goals of OTC and participating communities was a critical first step. From that foundation, and through ongoing work to nurture and support that relationship, the newest Internship Program was launched. This cohort of interns are on a journey to develop technical skills and certifications to be the next generation of water operators.

Strong relationships can also lead to ongoing collaborations, such as our Summer Credit Program. This multi-week, land-based, experiential learning program is full of fun, hands-on water science activities. While the main objective is for students to earn high school credits in subjects like geography or science, we deliver the program with partners in a way that embraces Indigenous culture: learning on the land, working with water and fish, and learning from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, local organizations, and community programs.

Sheshegwaning First Nation

Saugeen Ojibway Nation

Spotlight Story

Water First has been collaborating with Beausoleil First Nation since 2018. In summer 2023, Water First returned to southern Georgian Bay to deliver a third year of the Summer Credit Program, as well as a Drinking Water Internship in partnership with Ogemawahj Tribal Council, that welcomed two young adults from the community.

It is through sustained collaborations like these that we’ve developed – and continue to strengthen, relationships. Being invited to attend the school powwow in July was certainly a highlight of the season.

“We were touched and honoured to be invited to share in this amazing celebration of culture, and to get to see people that we’ve worked with and built relationships with,” said Dillon Koopmans, Water First’s Senior Manager, Education. “It really validated our relationship-first approach.”

Spotlight Story

Water First has been collaborating with Beausoleil First Nation since 2018. In summer 2023, Water First returned to southern Georgian Bay to deliver a third year of the Summer Credit Program, as well as a Drinking Water Internship in partnership with Ogemawahj Tribal Council, that welcomed two young adults from the community.

“We were touched and honoured to be invited to share in this amazing celebration of culture, and to get to see people that we’ve worked with and built relationships with,” said Dillon Koopmans, Water First’s Senior Manager, Education. “It really validated our relationship-first approach.”

When a community reaches out to us for support in implementing an environmental project or training strategy, it often marks the beginning of a long-term relationship. Just as with a shoal rehabilitation project, laying a solid foundation now can mean successful outcomes in years to come, as with Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation in Labrador. Collaboration with the Environmental Water team began in 2021, and has led not only to a long-term fish habitat monitoring program, but the partnership has facilitated enhanced monitoring plans and greater awareness of climate change-related challenges.

Water First is in a unique position to be able to work with individuals across different age groups – in-class workshops with school-aged children, young adults starting a journey to a career in water science, as well as Elders, parents, and partners who are working together towards community goals. Our focus on relationships and ongoing learning allows us to have a positive impact that can be felt for generations to come.

To read more stories like this, check out our

2023 Annual Report

Listening and adapting to community needs

January 19th, 2024

Listening and adapting to community needs

2023 Annual Report

“It was humbling to begin the week beside the water, being welcomed by Kookum Shirley’s Thanks Giving Prayer and student-sung honour song.

It brought a clear focus to the rest of the week and a shared goal between us and the students for the rest of the program.”

Tanya Sackaney, Indigenous School Engagement Coordinator
Water First

Adapting to the unique needs and priorities of each community we partner with is a hallmark of Water First’s approach.

Our robust programs are delivered in collaboration with many different communities and partners. We continually refine programs to make them more effective and efficient, and are constantly researching best practices and new approaches in education and training. However, delivering education and technical skills training programs that will have lasting results starts with listening and understanding what a community’s goals are. That’s why we embed flexibility in our planning, allowing us to be responsive and adapt to what each community wants to achieve.

Sometimes, adapting a program to better meet the needs of participants comes down to making minor changes that can have a big impact. This can look like changing the timing of a program module to better suit the needs of participants – like we did with the geographic information systems (GIS) training for our partnership with the Ogemawahj Tribal Council (OTC). Normally, GIS is offered much later in the program, but the community was interested in having interns apply skills right away, so it was moved closer to the beginning of training.

Adaptation can also look like changing the scope of a program after launch. A new collaboration with the Cree Nation Government (CNG) began with a water quality monitoring workshop for participants from the Cree Nation of Waswanipi, similar to previous work with the Cree Nation of Nemaska.

Spotlight Story

Water First began a partnership with Brunswick House First Nation (BHFN) in July 2022 to provide technical training to a team of passionate young participants. The community was interested in establishing a program that could track the effects of climate change on the waters and plants that they most heavily relied on. Water First’s role was to support the team in mastering their field and data collection skills.

The first field season was a great success, thanks to the confidence and capabilities that the team members demonstrated. Santana Vanbuskirk, the team lead, was inspired to continue this project and along with the Lands and Resouces Department, was keen to work with Water First again.

Taking time to understand the community’s vision, the group decided to adjust the climate monitoring program’s 2023 field season, slowing the pace of technical duties to create more space and time for cultural activities like water ceremony, and focusing on monitoring one specific lake – the community’s drinking water source – for contaminants from mining activities.

The 2023 field season – a successful adaptation based on community-led priorities – was ambitious, yet balanced the scientific work with moments to connect with the land and each other.

“My goal for this project is to create climate change awareness in the community and document long term effects of climate change.

I would like to see the Mountbatten Climate Change Project continue to strive for years to come.

Climate change means to me that Mother Earth is in pain and she needs more people to protect the water, the trees, the ground and everything in between.”

Santana Vanbuskirk, Environmental Water Program participant
Brunswick House First Nation

Spotlight Story

The 2023 field season – a successful adaptation based on community-led priorities – was ambitious, yet balanced the scientific work with moments to connect with the land and each other.

“My goal for this project is to create climate change awareness in the community and document long term effects of climate change.

I would like to see the Mountbatten Climate Change Project continue to strive for years to come.

Climate change means to me that Mother Earth is in pain and she needs more people to protect the water, the trees, the ground and everything in between.”

Santana Vanbuskirk, Environmental Water Program participant
Brunswick House First Nation

As discussions progressed, CNG identified the need for this training for participants from Ouje Bougoumou and a refresher for Nemaska participants. Our adaptable programs expanded a small workshop with Waswanipi into two weeks of training for thirteen participants, a complete lake survey, and new co-developed water quality monitoring plans for two different Cree communities.

In some cases, adapting a program can mean digging deeper into what a community wants to achieve in the long term. As relationships grow, we gain further insight into what a community’s objectives are, and we can create solutions together. With Innu Nation, our team worked with the community to build a new aquatic department, beginning with consultations and planning for the future, supporting with grant writing, and translating community priorities into a plan.

Water First engages students in outdoor experiential learning opportunities that integrate land-based teaching with guidance from Elders and Knowledge Keepers, water organizations, and community programs. These programs are adapted to local environments, school contexts, and traditions.

This is particularly impactful in a school setting, where students can be inspired by making connections between a water science workshop and something already happening in their school or community. Integration like this was especially evident in our collaboration with the community of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg.

Kitigan Zibi School reached out to us about collaborating on a water-themed week that also encompassed World Water Day. The team was able to work with every class from kindergarten to grade 12 at the school, taking each group outside to learn about environmental water quality indicators on the frozen lake. Indigenous Guardians also led two groups of students in looking at the water quality of a natural spring in the community. Learning on the land, and relating the learning to local traditions and contexts, helped to align the program with the community’s own interests and goals.

Spotlight Story

Water First has been partnering with Sagamok Anishnawbek over the past few years on water science programs. Our visit in June 2023 was going to be a major milestone: for the first time in our history, all three Water First program areas – a Schools Program, the Environmental Water Program, and the Drinking Water Program – were set to happen in the same community at the same time.

Things didn’t go exactly as planned, due to the impact of wildfires that were threatening northern Ontario and Quebec. But this change in plans presented an opportunity for the community to come together to address a pressing challenge. And sometimes Water First is lucky to be there, in the community, to support these efforts.

“When you’re working in the field, Mother Nature will do her thing, or other challenges will arise that mean you have to change priorities or adapt plans.

At Water First, we’re led by community-identified priorities. We strive to be flexible, understanding, and supportive – even if all we can do is postpone a program so community members can focus on other priorities.

We are honoured to be able to support community partners in any way we can.”

Mason Prout, Communications & Development Specialist
Water First

Spotlight Story

“When you’re working in the field, Mother Nature will do her thing, or other challenges will arise that mean you have to change priorities or adapt plans.

We are honoured to be able to support community partners in any way we can.”

Mason Prout, Communications & Development Specialist
Water First

Successful collaborations start with strong relationships, and strong relationships are built on communication, respect, and trust. For Water First, nurturing and strengthening these relationships involves continuous engagement, regular check-ins, and being open to feedback, which all help to ensure that our programs are successful in meeting each community’s unique needs. Through a focus on dialogue, program evaluation, and reciprocal learning, we can support a community in achieving lasting results.

To read more stories like this, check out our

2023 Annual Report

Nurturing connections between interns, peers and communities

January 18th, 2024

Nurturing connections between interns, peers, and communities

2023 Annual Report

“When interns become alumni, they will continue to have the support of the Water First staff. But they also leave with an entire cohort of supporters. No matter where they end up post-internship, they will always have the connections that they built through their fifteen months together.”

Jacey Bonertz, Technical Trainer & Project Coordinator
Water First

Participants in a Water First program can count on developing new technical skills related to water sciences or resource management that are aligned with a community’s long-term goals. Beyond these outcomes, it’s the connections developed between interns, peers, and communities that will stand the test of time.

Interpersonal connections are nurtured and deepened in collaborations that continue past one successful project – like our collaboration with the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach in northern Quebec since 2018. In a testament to the long-term nature of the relationship, participants from past projects shared their knowledge from previous training with new participants to help the team pick up the skills they needed.

Graduates of the Drinking Water Internship Program achieve the technical skills and valuable certifications that will serve them on their path to employment in water treatment or to further education. But for many interns, one of the most rewarding aspects of the program is the connections they make. Kyle Porter, a 2023 graduate from Garden River First Nation, had this to say: “I joined because I was seeking an opportunity to become involved in my community, and also to learn new skills. Personally, I find that being able to contribute to the community I belong to brings me closer to my family and friends.”

Spotlight Story

In the spring of 2023, staff from Water First attended the annual Aboriginal Water and Wastewater Association of Ontario (AWWAO) training conference and trade show in Rama First Nation. Nathan Pamajewon, a graduate of the Georgian Bay Drinking Water Internship Program from Shawanaga First Nation, helped organize a special Alumni Network event to bring together graduates and current interns.

“Water is life, and I consider this to be an honour to keep it protected for now and the future. I’m glad I learned the process and how to take pride in your work and in keeping everyone safe.”

Nathan Pamajewon, Alumni
Shawanaga First Nation

Spotlight Story

“Water is life, and I consider this to be an honour to keep it protected for now and the future. I’m glad I learned the process and how to take pride in your work and in keeping everyone safe.”

Nathan Pamajewon, Alumni
Shawanaga First Nation

Upon graduation, Drinking Water interns are encouraged to join Water First’s Alumni Network. As alumni, they can access ongoing support for their professional journeys in the water science field: access to a newly unveiled online portal, educational opportunities, funding, and a community of fellow professionals to cheer each other on. Revamped and enhanced in 2023, the Alumni Network is a hub for networking, professional development, and ongoing connections with Water First staff and other graduates.

Water First programs also facilitate connections and support reciprocal learning between communities. Environmental Water participants, for example, often have the opportunity to share their learnings and experiences with peers at conferences and community presentations. The connections that develop through Water First partnerships sustain results well into the future.

Spotlight Story

Jaylen Andre, from the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, began his journey with Water First through school workshops when he was 14 years old, in May 2022. He learned about watersheds and water chemistry using Water Rangers kits, which are water quality testing kits designed for educators. Jaylen got to meet Water First’s environmental team and participants, and see the “big kid” versions of the water quality equipment. Jaylen enjoyed the experience so much that he ended up getting hired through a collaboration with the community to work throughout the summer, learning how to do water and fish sampling.

In February 2023, Jaylen, along with two other Naskapi participants, travelled from Kawawachikamach, Quebec to Park Lake, Labrador for a winter water monitoring workshop. At Park Lake, Jaylen made an impression on the guides from Sheshatshiu Innu Nation — they liked working with the Naskapi, and specifically with Jaylen as a youth. They were impressed by his passion and enthusiasm, and by how much he loves being on the land.

Spotlight Story

To read more stories like this, check out our

2023 Annual Report

Fall 2023

October 20th, 2023

Quarterly Newsletter

Schools Program

The latest news and updates on our programs.

Graduation Day! 🎓

Celebrating the next generation of Indigenous water treatment plant operators

Graduation often marks the end of a journey. For the Indigenous youth and community members of Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal Council, who recently completed their Drinking Water Internship Program, graduation is just the beginning.

In late September Mamaweswen and Water First celebrated 11 interns on their graduation from the 15-month Drinking Water Internship Program. The Internship includes a paid training program where interns obtain entry-level certifications required to begin careers in water treatment. Sustainable access to safe, clean water in Indigenous communities in Canada continues to be a critical issue, and as qualified, local personnel, graduates bring technical skills and capacity to communities to ensure access to safe, clean drinking water for the long term.

Following graduation, interns join the Water First Alumni Network to stay engaged, build local networks and access opportunities for ongoing professional development and peer support.

“In the last 15 months, here with Water First, I’ve seen that we don’t have to look too far for inspiration and that we each have the potential to make that inspiring contribution to others. When you leave here today, celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but look forward with an eye towards how you too can be that inspiration to others.”

Nigel Debassige, Valedictorian
Atikameksheng Anishnawbek

The North Shore Tribal Council Drinking Water Internship Program began in June 2022 and marks Water First’s fourth successful Drinking Water Internship Program completed to date. The program was funded through the North Shore Tribal Council member First Nations employment and training program, together with the support of Water First donors.

Water First has collaborated with 37 First Nations communities through the Drinking Water Internship Program. Interns have worked approximately 98,000 hours in their local water plant, and 46 interns have successfully graduated from the program. A fifth internship program is underway with Ogemawahj Tribal Council, and Manitoba’s first internship program is soon to be launched.

Over the course of the North Shore Tribal Council Drinking Water Internship Program, each intern accumulated 1,800 hours of on-the-job experience in water treatment plants, which is part of the water operator in training (OIT) certification process. Interns pursued additional water operator certification exams, including water quality analyst and technical training like GIS and water sampling, leading to jobs in water treatment and in the environmental water field.

In Canada, 14% of First Nations communities are affected by a drinking water advisory; in Ontario, it’s 25%. The challenges are complex and layered. Communities may face issues relating to infrastructure, source water quality, or having enough trained people to manage water systems – or more than one of these issues at a time. Water First works with Indigenous communities that have identified education and training as part of their solution to the water crisis. Safe water needs skilled people. Learn more at www.waterfirst.ngo.

“Clean, safe, potable drinking water is a fundamental need in our communities. The success of this program has enhanced our community’s capacity to meet future demand. Congratulations to our Interns who worked hard to achieve their certifications in the water industry. We are proud of your accomplishments.”

Allan Moffatt, CEO
Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal Council

Up and Running 🏃🏽‍♂️

Our 5th Internship Program is well underway

The latest Internship Program, a partnership with Ogemawahj Tribal Council, was launched in June 2023, with 7 interns from 5 communities beginning their journeys to becoming water treatment plant operators. After gathering in Rama First Nation to complete the first of many in-person training workshops together over the course of the program, the group is now in full swing. The group has also already gathered for a week to explore the importance of mapping and GIS and to prepare for and write their Operator in Training and small systems exams. Next, the group will gather in early November to prepare for and write their Entry Level Course exam.

Save the date: November 30th! 🗓

Get ready for our next virtual event

Interested in hearing from participants in the Drinking Water Internship Program? Mark your calendar for Safe Water Needs Skilled People! Join us on November 30th at 12:00-1:30 PM ET (9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 1:00 PM AT, 1:30 PM NFLD) for an opportunity to hear impactful stories from Water First staff, interns and graduates of our programs and from our Indigenous Advisory Council. Click the button below to RSVP.

Summer Success Stories ☀️

Earning high school credits through experiential learning

Earning high school credits is a priority for Water First and our students. We make this happen in our Summer Credit Program by emphasizing learning in a relevant and meaningful way. Integrating learning on local lands with guidance and teachings from Elders and Knowledge Keepers, water organizations and community programs, translates to buy-in from students, a love of learning, and ultimately success.

This Summer Credit Program, co-delivered by certified educators at Water First along with plenty of community collaborators, is a multi-week education program for youth in school in Indigenous communities. By participating in the land-based, experiential learning program, which is full of fun, hands-on water science activities and collaborations, students gain a Geography or Environmental Science high school credit! Students gain credits towards high school graduation in a way that meets their needs, allowing them to continue in their learning journey. Hands-on, experiential learning is prioritized as an alternative to mainstream teaching methods.

For the third year in a row, the program was delivered this summer with students from Beausoleil First Nation on Christian Island, as well as a second year of programming with students from Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugeen First Nation on the Bruce Peninsula, and new this year, the Schools team worked with students from Sheshegwaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island.

Water First awarded 33 high school credits as a result of this summer’s credit program!

We’re excited to announce that communities continue to show interest in our summer programs, and we are exploring additional programs with partners. Stay tuned for future updates.

“During this week, some students told me they struggle to focus when sitting at a desk all day and often get removed from their school classrooms for being too disruptive. Yet these students were some of the most engaged and inquisitive participants in this outdoor experiential learning program.

I ended the week with a quiet realization that we were helping students, who simply may not fit into the mold of a traditional classroom, be successful and achieve their goals.”

Caleb Girard, reflecting on his time with students from Saugeen First Nation and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation

Our 3rd year of partnering on a Summer Credit Program with Beausoleil First Nation

2 years of partnering with students from Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugeen First Nation

New this year: a Summer Credit Program delivered to students from Sheshegwaning First Nation

Meet Aiden 👋🏼

Aiden began his journey with Water First as a student in a week-long school program back in 2019. Since then Aiden has participated in four Water First school workshops and Water First’s Summer Credit Program. In addition to learning the ins and outs of water sampling and tackling the local phragmites problem Aiden enjoyed the plethora of outdoor activities, like kayaking, which are integral parts to Water First Programming.

This past summer Aiden joined Water first once again but this time as an assistant! Thank you Aiden for all your valuable help over the past few months assisting with in-school workshops and all of our outdoor learning.

Better Together 🌊

Deeper relationships lead to greater impact

At Water First, there’s no better feeling than getting invited back to a community to collaborate on a new project. For Water First, the most successful projects springboard into enhanced partnerships and deeper relationships. When Cory Girard, Project Manager for environmental water at Water First, returned to Brunswick House First Nation (BHFN) in early July 2023, she experienced this feeling firsthand.

Brunswick House First Nation is located about 150 kilometres northeast of Sault Ste. Marie. Girard has visited the community three times over the past year to train BHFN staff on the technical aspects of their climate change monitoring program, by tracking the effects of climate change on the waters and plants most heavily relied on by the community. After a successful field season in 2022, Water First was asked to return for training on a new-and-improved climate change monitoring program.

Read more about the inspiring journey of Santana, Shawn, Paradise and the growing BHFN team, who have worked tirelessly over the past year to enhance their climate change monitoring program, highlighting the connections of cultural activities like water ceremonies and careful observation of plants, animals and water sources to climate action.

“My goal for this project is to create climate change awareness in the community and document the long-term effects of climate change. I would like to see the Mountbatten Climate Change Project continue to strive for years to come.

Climate change means to me that Mother Earth is in pain, and she needs more people to protect the water, the trees, the ground and everything in between.”

Santana Vanbuskirk, Environmental Water Program Intern
Brunswick House First Nation

Participants from Brunswick House First Nation collecting water samples

Park Lake, Labrador 🎣

Restoration for the future

After acquiring an old fishing lodge on Park Lake, Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation (SIFN) in central Labrador is embarking on a 10-year journey to clean up and improve the lodge site to run a 100% Innu-owned and operated tourism lodge, just south of Akami-Uapishkᵁ-KakKasuak-Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve. In 2021, Water First began working with SIFN to develop a long-term fish habitat monitoring and fish habitat restoration program for Park Lake.

For the second time in 2023, members from the Environmental Water team returned to beautiful Park Lake in June, spending two weeks out on the water trapping fish with Fyke nets for assessment. The team also continued the water quality monitoring work that has been conducted over the past two years.

The team visited once more in September, working with Elders, looking at habitats for fish species like brook trout and salmon, going over data management techniques and getting the opportunity to collaborate with local Knowledge Keepers on the continuation of the project.

Charity Intelligence ⭐️

Water First Gets 5 Stars

Water First has been rated a 100 charity in Canada and was given 5 stars by Charity Intelligence, an organization that conducts assessments of charitable organizations to promote transparency and accountability with a focus on results. Charitable Intelligence’s rating is based on financial transparency, results reporting, demonstrated impact, need for funding, and cents to the cause.

Fall greetings from Water First!

From all of us, thank you for being a supporter and champion of Water First’s mission.

A Summer of Learning on and from the Land with Sheshegwaning First Nation

October 16th, 2023

This summer marked Water First’s and Sheshegwaning First Nation’s first collaboration on a summer high school credit program. The community sits on the beautiful and ecologically rich west end of Manitoulin Island and provides a dynamic learning space for students from Sheshegwaning, Zhiibaahaasing, and M’chigeeng.

This four-week program was forged through collaboration with school and community members who shared experience and knowledge of their land and culture. The Sheshegwaning First Nation summer high school credit program builds on Water First’s prior relationship with the community through programs delivered in 2018, 2021 and 2022.

The program was developed in collaboration with Robert Beaudin, the local school’s principal, who was thrilled to hear about the summer program that was first piloted with Beausoleil First Nation in 2021, as well as community members who shared their knowledge of the land, culture, and experience. Each day usually began with an opening smudge and teaching from Traditional Knowledge Keeper, Jo Laford, who we were lucky to have with us every week.

Sarah and Catherine from Water First’s Schools Program each delivered two weeks of the program. Here are some of their highlights from a month of learning on Manitoulin.

Language and the Land

Students gained an understanding of rare alvar ecosystems with a field trip to Misery Bay. Hiking the Nimkee Trail with a community language teacher drew connections between language and land. Fossil hunting with the Ontario Geological Survey at Cape Robert, unlocked secrets of the past.

Community Resources and Sustainability

Students learned in and out of the classroom with a school energy audit, a visit to the Odawa Stone Quarry, investigating hydroponically grown produce at Odawa Island Farms, and combing the shores at Providence Bay. Judith Jones, from the Manitoulin Phragmites Project, took students on a phragmites hunt to learn more about this invasive species. We also began making strides in completing our community-based projects for the summer, including a mapping activity and completing environmental inventories around the community.

Treaties, Land Claims

Leonard Genereux graciously shared his knowledge of treaties and land claims on Manitoulin Island. Action is taking place in the student’s own communities and students were engaged in this important discussion. We are so grateful to Leonard for sharing his wealth of knowledge in this area and for taking the time to open this important discussion for our group.

Streams

Silver Creek, a small river within Sheshegwaning that winds its way to Georgian Bay, is the ideal outdoor classroom. Jo Laford,Traditional Knowledge Keeper, provided insight on the source of the stream and what species of fish are caught there. Liam, from Manitoulin Streams, enthusiastically shared his knowledge on stream assessment with a hike to look at the different elements of a stream. Diving deeper into their earning, students strapped on hip waders and scoured the stream, looking for bugs and other creatures in hopes of gaining a better understanding of Silver Creek. This is an incredible example of two-eyed seeing, with both Indigenous and Western knowledge contributing to the depth of student learning.

Educational Sweat Lodge

The next day was incredibly special, with Jo and Elizabeth Laford leading an educational Sweat Lodge for students. From preparation of the lodge to a culminating feast, this became one of the favourite and most meaningful experiences for students throughout the program.

The World of Water Treatment

Dillon Koopmans, Water First’s Education Manager, visited the program and brought along examples of Water First’s incredible educational resources. Through hands-on activities, and two amazing tours of the Sheshegwaning and Zhiibaahaasing Water Treatment facilities, students learned about water treatment processes.

Microplastics

Sean, from Georgian Bay Forever, led a discussion on microplastics before heading out on a walk to look for sources of plastic pollution. Back in the classroom, Sean provided sand samples from around Georgian Bay for students to interpret under a microscope. Shockingly there was evidence of microplastics in most of the samples which initiated impassioned discussions about sustainability within communities.

Food Sustainability

Food sustainability is front of mind in Sheshegwaning First Nation, and the community has many incredible projects for students to learn from. One amazing example is the Sheshegwaning Food Forest, started by Kiara and Caeley, who gave an informative tour of the forest where they are growing traditional foods and medicines which support families within the community. They have such passion for their work and we are so grateful for their time.

Crafts and Culture

For our last excursion, a bus trip to M’chigeeng took students to the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation. Working with Darlene, the Traditional Craft Facilitator, students created their own Medicine Pouches. Everyone was super proud of their work and afterwards Darlene shared more about all of the amazing crafts that she and others have created.

Celebration

In celebration of the student’s hard work along their journey of learning, fun and connection, Robert Beaudin, school Principal, hosted a community lunch.

The growing partnership between Water First and Sheshegwaning First Nation, along with a summer of experiential learning and exploration, left students and educators enriched and communities connected.

Indigenous Schools Water Program

October 2nd, 2023

Summer Learning: Keeping Students Engaged and Connected With Their Education

Indigenous Schools Water Program | Fall 2023

My name is Caleb Girard, and this past summer I worked with the Water First team delivering the 2023 Summer Credit Program. I’ve had some time to reflect on my experiences and I’d love to share them with you here.

It’s morning in early July, and the sun is peeking through the crack in my bedroom curtains. I throw on my Water First hoodie, tie up my shoes and step outside. The air is crisp. The day is full of promise. I am on Chimnissing (also known as Christian Island), located within Georgian Bay, ready to start my first day as an assistant in Water First’s Summer Credit Program.

Water First strives to facilitate teaching that is relevant to the community and culture the students are a part of, in hopes of inspiring the next generation to carry forward their learning and strengthen capacity in their community. By successfully completing a three- to four-week-long Summer Credit Program, students earn either a Grade 9 Geography credit or a Grade 11 Environmental Science credit towards completion of their High School Diploma.

These innovative programs, which are now in their third year of being delivered, break down the barriers of a traditional classroom environment and emphasize outdoor experiential learning and land-based teaching. Integrating learning on local lands with guidance and teachings from Elders and Knowledge Keepers, water organizations and community programs translates to buy-in from students, a love of learning, and ultimately success! This year, the Summer Credit Program led to 33 high school credits being awarded to some very hard-working students.

For one month this summer, I assisted in facilitating three overlapping Summer Credit Programs across Ontario, visiting each program for a week at a time, lending a hand to the Water First Educators, and adding my own special touch to the mix. Let’s take a look at each of the 3 programs!

1️⃣

Beausoleil First Nation

Beausoleil First Nation, on Christian Island, was the first stop on my journey and it is where I joined Adrianna, a Water First Educator. After breakfast and some introductions, the room came alive with students and community members laughing and having fun as they engaged in hands-on activities, like pumping water through interactive watershed models, highlighting the benefits wetlands and forests provide.

Later, we walked through a nearby forest, near Douglas Lake, to relate our classroom findings to the local environment. Trips to Douglas Lake became a regular and important part of the program, creating a space for community members and Knowledge Keepers to use hands-on lessons out on the land while sharing teachings and cultural connections with the students.

Beausoleil First Nation Summer Program 2023

Beausoleil First Nation Summer Program 2023 Fish Workshop

A highlight was a trip to a secluded wetland where students, either in hip waders or kayaks, explored the environment engulfing them and collected insect and vegetation samples to later analyze under a microscope. In the evenings, I would often hear students’ laughter outside my window and look out to see them swimming, playing games or riding around on their ATVs. Moments like these demonstrated the value of this land-based, outdoor experiential learning program, which allows students to learn and grow in the way they feel most comfortable.

Aiden began his journey with Water First as a student in a week-long school program back in 2019.

Since then Aiden has participated in four Water First school workshops and Water First’s Summer Credit Program. In addition to learning the ins and outs of water sampling and tackling the local phragmites problem, Aiden enjoyed the plethora of outdoor activities, like kayaking, which are integral parts to Water First Programming.

2️⃣

Saugeen First Nation & Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation

Next, I travelled to Cape Croker Park on the Bruce Peninsula to support Tanya, a Water First Educator delivering a Summer Credit Program to students from Saugeen First Nation and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.

Our home base was a campground, set up with a circle of picnic tables, two large event tents to store our supplies, and a nearby fire pit that was lit every morning and is where we gathered for a daily gratitude circle, smudge and various teachings.

My time spent with this program was eventful and fast-paced. In my four days, we visited a water treatment training centre, two water treatment plants, and the Nawash Lands and Resource Centre, and had various special speakers and a local Elder visit the park to teach the students.

I also helped the class build scaled-down versions of community water distribution systems, cooked s’mores over the fire, and wrapped it all up with supervising the students in creating a mini-documentary of their time in the program. It’s safe to say we were all worn out by the end of the week but felt a sense of accomplishment by all we had done.

This was our 2nd summer partnering with Saugeen Ojibway Nation.

During this week, some students told me they struggle to focus when sitting at a desk all day and often get removed from their school classrooms for being too disruptive.

Yet these students were some of the most engaged and inquisitive participants in this outdoor experiential learning program.

I ended the week with a quiet realization that we were helping students, who simply may not fit into the mold of a traditional classroom, be successful and achieve their goals.

See what Tanya, Water First’s Indigenous School Engagement Coordinator, was up to with the Summer Credit Program on our TikTok page.

“Education is a journey that is best experienced with friends and achieved with purpose. These students came together as strangers with little prior practice of experiential learning. They came away from this program with newly forged friendships and the success of achieving a required high school credit.

May this be but a stepping stone toward an educational journey of land-based learning and community-strengthening careers.”

Tanya Sackaney
Indigenous School Engagement Coordinator

3️⃣

Sheshegwaning First Nation

My last stop was Sheshegwaning First Nation, nestled on Manitoulin Island. Here, with Sarah and Catherine, Water First Educators, I joined students as they put the finishing touches on their assignments.

We also explored the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation Centre where we made medicine pouches, dabbled in fish farming, and even ventured into a local food forest, created by young community members who taught us about the cultural uses of edible and medicinal plants growing in the area.

During one of these excursions a student revealed to me they had been expelled from the local high school and this program was keeping alive their chance of completing a high school diploma. This conversation gave me extra motivation to ensure every student successfully completed the program and could be proud of what they had accomplished that summer. It was a humbling reminder of the impact of this unique approach to education.

As I sailed back on the Chi-Cheemaun Ferry, watching the sun set over Lake Huron, I reflected on the whirlwind of experiences I had just been a part of.

I thought of the students I had met, the laughter we had shared, the lessons that were learned, the field trips experienced and the community’s support through it all.

But most notably I thought about how these programs were making a positive difference in young people’s lives. They were allowing students to successfully learn and grow, taking pride not only in what they had accomplished, but in who they are.

Water First has seen significant growth in requests from communities that wish to partner with us for schools programming. We are grateful to the many donors and champions who are helping to inspire the next generation of water scientists.

Our heartfelt thanks for your support!

Forging Relationships, Forging Change

September 18th, 2023

An evolution of partnership and learning
with Beausoleil First Nation

By Adrianna Bilinski, Program Manager, Indigenous School Engagement

If there’s one thing Water First prides itself on, it’s our ability to build meaningful partnerships. Case in point is our partnership with Beausoleil First Nation (BFN).

BFN is located on Christian Island, a tiny gem in Georgian Bay. This special community has been an instrumental partner to the Indigenous School Water Program (ISWP) at Water First. The Indigenous School Water Program (ISWP) team has been working with BFN since 2019, and recently, the Drinking Water Internship partnered with this community through the 2023 partnership with Ogemawahj Tribal Council.

BFN’s Director of Education, Nancy Assance, has been a strong supporter of Water First programming since 2019. Our first collaboration with Beausoleil First Nation was a pilot program that was affected by the lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the work we did with BFN was so well received that they were happy to be the first community to pilot our new digital program in November 2020. This success resulted in Nancy inviting Water First to design a summer credit program for the summer of 2021. In this program, the students learned from the land and led a beach water monitoring project.

This successful high school credit program expanded from there – in 2022, we facilitated summer programs in two different communities. The program also evolved within Beausoleil First Nation itself. The BFN summer program went from an 8-week geography credit in 2021 to an 8-week geography and science credit in 2022, to a 4-week geography credit in 2023. During this evolution, Water First and Beausoleil First Nation took an open and transparent approach to identifying needs and capacity restrictions. The ISWP team would like to thank Nancy Assance, as well as Tori Monague, the Right to Play Manger, for partnering with us three years strong through this evolution of the summer program. Our relationship of trust is strong enough to have difficult conversations and come out with mutual understandings. It is in this context of trust that we have been giving, receiving, and doing all that we can to support the youth in this community.

BFN and Water First also acknowledge the valuable support of the Simcoe County District School Board. Without their support, the program that BFN and Water First co-developed would not have been accredited. Miigwetch.

A huge reason for the summer program’s success is finding local Knowledge Holders willing to support the youth in their learning. Water First team members love learning from our community partners as well. This summer featured some excellent return guest speakers as well as new ones who brought important context and experiential learning opportunities to the students.

Returning for their third year were local fisherman Ed Williams and culture and language teacher Doug King. This class-favourite duo introduced 8 different species of fish to the students. They taught everyone how to identify the fish species, how to examine their stomach contents, and how to clean and prepare the fish for consumption. Ed and Doug generously donated the fish we cleaned together to the class – and we used that fish to prepare a fish fry during our graduation celebration!

Another return guest was local plant expert Kyle Sandy. Kyle shared knowledge about different edible plants and medicines as we hiked through the bush. (Learning about the natural mosquito repellent bee balm was helpful before we ventured into the mosquito’s territory.) Further on in the hike we enjoyed flavour-packed wild blackberries and harvested bergamot to make tea.

Georgian Bay Forever, an organization that maintains a variety of projects and programs designed to protect and improve the quality of Georgian Bay and surrounding areas, joined us for a second year this summer. They lead a training session on how to remove an invasive species called phragmites. Phragmite removal was one of two projects the students focused on over the 4-week course. Georgian Bay Forever also ran a workshop about micro plastics in the water and on the beach, which generated excellent discussion on global sustainability and our own environmental footprints.

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit also supported our learning for a third year in a row by helping us manage a beach water monitoring project. Students learned how to take water samples to be sent to the lab to monitor E.coli levels, which we did every week of our program. The class even had the honour of going for a tour of the lab, which helped the students to feel connected to the land in a meaningful way.

A diverse crew of new guest speakers joined us this summer, allowing us to cover the curriculum and engage each different kind of learner throughout the course.

Sylvia Norton-Sutherland from the education department led a birch bark basket weaving workshop with the students.This process spanned 4 days of the week, with students having a combination of time dedicated to the project and working on their own time to finish their creations. Basket weaving was the perfect craft to talk about sustainable living in a historical and modern context.

Noopaming Creations is a local mother-and-daughter team that works with historically and culturally significant resources. They led a medicine pouch workshop during which each student had a chance to make their own medicine pouch. We discussed why someone might carry a medicine pouch, and what could be kept inside.

Clayton Samuel King is a skilled and successful artist from Beausoleil who has taken a deep interest in treaty research. He has contributed to the recent treaty settlement work in the community, and he was kind enough to come into the class and share his research journey. This discussion of political boundaries and agreements are so important for youth to think about. We were very happy to provide a safe place for these conversations.

The Ontario Geological Survey brought the study of rock and dirt to life with their visit to the island. We learned about different landforms and the difference between rocks and minerals. We also got our hands dirty by sifting through soil samples while discussing healthy planting processes.

The 2023 summer credit program with Beausoleil First Nation was an incredible experience filled with collaboration and learning. I’d like to thank everyone from the community and the special guests who supported and contributed to our learning journey. We look forward to strengthening our relationships and seeing how programs evolve in the years to come.

Part of the Hive:
Working together for lasting results

August 14th, 2023

Written by Adrianna Bilinski, Program Manager

Water First has been partnering with Long Point First Nation (LPFN), located in western Quebec, for more than three years. Our Environmental Water team will be completing a two-year walleye spawning habitat restoration project in partnership with LPFN in the fall of 2023. The Indigenous Schools Water Program (ISWP) at Water First has had the privilege and pleasure of working with the local school, Amo Ososwan, for three consecutive years – once with our digital remote delivery in 2021, then in-person the two years following.

During the first week of April, some Water First staff made a trip up to LPFN as part of our ongoing collaborative work with this special community.

Amo Ososwan is the Algonquin word for “hive.” One of the teachers in the school described the pride everyone has in the school’s name, because the students, teachers, administration, and others all work together to make the school run as a safe and productive environment, much like how in a hive, the bees all work together. ISWP team members were in the school for a week leading into the Easter weekend, and we got glimpses of that teamwork making amazing things happen, like Easter egg hunts and field trips to the water with us!

For two years in a row now, the ISWP team has had the chance to travel with the Environmental Team to Long Point. It is not common for our program departments to travel and work together directly in a community, but when we do, there’s a huge range of benefits that support successful collaborations. Working together, we form stronger bonds between team members at Water First, which supports rich collaborations. Our combined visits to Long Point have allowed the rare occurrence of Enviro team members joining the Schools Programs and – even more rare – the opportunity for Schools Program team members to sit in on meetings with the Lands and Resources departments as the Enviro team collaborates with local experts. These meetings allow the Enviro team to understand if there are any additional projects that Water First can support, and help enrich the programs and community ties by sharing the work and the knowledge being exchanged.

Long Point First Nation is currently talking to a mining company about future opportunities, which provided an opportunity for a local, relevant case study as part of the watershed workshop we brought to the school. Because we were able to meet with the Lands and Resources Department to understand mining activity better, we could talk knowledgeably with the students about the reality of mining industry impacts on the land.

Thanks to Water First team members being invited to be part of the hive with Long Point, we were able to collaborate in a way that supported meaningful partnership and lasting results for the school and the community.

Adaptability in Action

June 20th, 2023

Written by Mason Prout, Communications & Development Specialist at Water First

Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation is located on the north shore of Lake Huron, in the stunning landscape along the Spanish River. It’s a community with more than 2,000 members – the largest First Nations community on the north shore, and the only one with a K-8 school. Water First has been partnering with Sagamok Anishnawbek over the past few years, and we’re continuing to build a strong relationship. Our Schools Program was in the community this June to deliver weeklong water science programs to students at the local school, Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik, for the third year in a row.

But the Schools Program wasn’t the only Water First team in Sagamok Anishnawbek. For the first time in our history, all three of our program areas – the Schools Program, the Environmental Water Program, and the Drinking Water Internship Program – were happening at the same time in the same community, all working towards sustainable access to safe, clean water.

This year, I had the amazing opportunity to visit Sagamok Anishnawbek with the Schools Program to help deliver the workshop and see all our programs in action. I didn’t know it at the time, but I would also get to see the amazing adaptability of our team and the community in action as well.

My trip to Sagamok Anishnawbek was a doozy – it’s a 10-hour drive from Thunder Bay – but everything was so beautiful that I didn’t mind. Scenic beaches, rugged rocky shoreline, and a road that seemed like it could go on forever. The skies were a little hazy, and I assumed smoke was drifting in from far-away fires.

Previous to this trip, I had visited Kenora twice to support the Drinking Water Internship Program, and also helped with a Schools Program in Thunder Bay, but this was my first time being part of the team delivering a program in a First Nations community. Working on the communications and fundraising teams at Water First for nearly 3 years, I typically support our programs from behind the scenes, but being able to support our programs in community is so important for giving me the real-world, on-the-ground context needed to do my job well, so I really appreciated an opportunity like this.

We were all excited to get started. So much was happening! Sarah Allemang, the program coordinator, led the programming with the school. The Drinking Water Internship Program, in partnership with Mamaweswen, the North Shore Tribal Council, is nearing its end after over a year of interns pursuing certifications and working in local water treatment plants. Elijah Toulouse, an intern from Sagamok Anishnawbek, is looking forward to potentially working at the community’s water treatment plant – where he’s been gaining experience throughout the program – after graduation. The Environmental Water Program was kicking off a new project to restore walleye spawning shoals, with help from local participants, Fabian and Max. Brooke Harrison, another Water First team member, was there to support the both Environmental and Drinking Water teams.

Safe, clean water in communities requires effort from many people working in different areas. Water First strives to create opportunities for Indigenous youth and young adults to collaborate with community members working in the field of water science, and this visit was shaping up to provide that opportunity.

The original plan was for students to visit Fort La Cloche – just a short drive away – to see what Fabian and Max were working on to support the health of local walleye populations, and to visit the local water treatment plant to learn from the people who keep the water safe and clean.

On the morning of our first day of programming, as we are preparing to start a much-anticipated week of cross-program collaborations, we received word that a forest fire had started close by at Fort La Cloche. We knew there were fires all over Ontario, but hadn’t realized we’d be affected by ones so close. More fires began to pop up north of the community, where Sagamok Anishnawbek owns and operates a tourism lodge. Fabian and Max, the two participants hired for the walleye project, are part of the local volunteer fire crew and were recruited to help control the fires.

The skies were hazy, and the smell of fire was in the air all day. The entire community was on alert, and everyone was ready to help with whatever was needed. The Water First team looked to the community for guidance on what programs could proceed. The fish habitat project had to be put on hold for the week. The Schools Program was able to continue with workshops, although we had to adapt our programming since the planned collaborations with other Water First program areas wouldn’t be possible. Sarah, Brooke, and I all helped with daily prep, setup, takedown, and keeping the students engaged. We checked in with the school regularly to make sure we could do programming outside.

I honestly didn’t know how tiring this work could be! But I was excited to be there and help out in any way I could. I loved chatting with students while we were doing the activities and after the lessons were done.

The wildfires put a twist into our plans for the week, and I quickly understood that’s just the reality of this kind of work. When you’re working in the field, Mother Nature will do her thing, or other challenges will arise that mean you have to change priorities or adapt plans.

These kinds of challenges also present opportunities for the community to come together to address a pressing challenge. And sometimes Water First is lucky to be there, in the community, to support these efforts.

At Water First, we’re led by community-identified priorities. We strive to be flexible, understanding, and supportive – even if all we can do is postpone a program so community members can focus on other priorities. We are honoured to be able to support community partners in any way we can.

Our Drinking Water Internship Program is another way we can support communities, especially when it comes to the increasing threat of wildfire. Drinking Water interns are training to become water operators, playing a critical role in protecting their communities – not only do these individuals provide communities with safe, clean drinking water, but they also ensure there is enough water to respond to fire emergencies. The contributions of water operators are essential.

As my week in Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation came to a close, I looked back on all that I had experienced during my time there – the beauty of the landscape, the energy of the students, the haze and smoke from the fires, and the adaptability of community members and my colleagues. Despite our plans not working out how we had originally wanted, it was beautiful to see everyone respond with hope and resilience, and with a shared passion for protecting the land and water. I’m truly grateful I could be there to witness it.

Sunny Days in Nunavik

February 15th, 2023

Written by: Adrianna Bilinski, Indigenous School Engagement Manager at Water First.

The third week of January, in the middle of winter. That was when Dillon Koopmans and I, both from the Schools Program team at Water First, chose to travel to northern Quebec to the Nunavik region. We traveled to the coast of the Arctic Ocean to visit two Inuit villages, Kangirsuk (from January 19-24) and Kuujjuaq (from January 24-27). Despite the crisp temperatures, each community gave us a warm welcome.

Kangirsuk

Kujjjuaq

The trip was almost too beautiful for words. Beyond the beauty of the landscape and the kindness of the people, the educational aspects of this trip were beautiful as well. As the Schools Programs team travels to different partner communities, it becomes more and more clear that each community’s needs are unique. For example, in Kangirsuk, we had a special request to use our programming as a jumping-off point for their high school science fair projects, the theme of which this year is water. And of course we agreed! We had lots of fun expanding some of our water quality lessons so the students could learn in more detail about all the different ways we can study water.

In Kangirsuk at Sautjuit School, we had the privilege of working with Grades 3-5 as well as with high school students. Each of the primary level teachers we worked with wished we could do more workshops with their class, and happily expressed their desire for us to return. Even the students passing in the hall asked repeatedly if we were coming back to their class for a lesson. These comments gave the whole team such a warm feeling. It is nice to be valued and wanted in a community when we are so far from home. More importantly, we work to inspire youth to take an interest in water science – and in Kangirsuk, these special moments made us feel like we succeeded.

The following week in Kuujjuaq, we had a special request to work with the Secondary 2 (Grade 7) classes. This was very different from our work in Kangirsuk, and equally rewarding. In Kuujjuaq we spent less time in a science lab setting, and more time out in the community with a field trip to their local lake, and then to the water treatment plant. Along the way, we helped students make connections between the quality of the water in the lake and the water treatment process.

This was a truly special trip – the students and for us. We saw students in the hall from each of the classes explaining what the other class would get to do next or comparing how the other class did on the knowledge test.

Each community was visibly grateful for the time we spent in the school, and both expressed excitement for our return. We look forward to being back in Nunavik to strengthen our existing relationships with these two communities, and maybe even venture to a few more if they’ll have us!

Outside of the scope of our work, we got to see some amazing Northern Lights, and even had the opportunity to see a circus performance from the Nunavik crew heading to the Arctic Games. These elements of the Indigenous culture enrich our experience beyond our professional goals, and make us long for the next trip. Reciprocal learning is a Water First value and a theme we keep in mind as we travel. We love to learn and grow even more than we like to teach on some days.

Keep your eyes and ears open for the next educational adventure!

Indigenous Schools Water Program

February 15th, 2023

Hands-on learning to foster a
passion for water science

Indigenous Schools Water Program | Winter 2023

Inspiring future water scientists with hands-on learning

Through the Indigenous Schools Water Program, Water First delivers engaging, hands-on, STEM-based water science programs to schools in Indigenous communities. These programs create opportunities for students to strengthen their understanding and relationship with the environment, and to foster a love of water science.

Water First is honoured to have engaged with schools in 6 provinces and territories so far. We’re delighted to share an update on what the Schools Program has been up to over the past year.

Connecting students with local water operators

When students interact with water treatment plant operators from within their own community, they get to see people they know involved with water science. This helps them appreciate the work that goes into ensuring access to safe, clean water. We strive to facilitate these connections in most communities where we deliver programming. By seeing community members working to provide clean water, students deepen their connections to the content in the workshops, and can even see themselves in a similar position someday. Students also learn about the role they can play as emerging scientists in protecting their water resources. Here are just two examples from 2022: the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach and Dokis First Nation.

Last spring, staff from the Schools Programs team were in the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach to work with high school students from Jimmy Sandy Memorial School. Students participated in some fun hands-on activities to explore the theme of water quality and water stewardship. One highlight of the session was a visit to the community drinking water treatment plant. The students got a guided tour by the plant operator and learned about the system of pumps and filters that purify their water.

In Dokis First Nation last year, students at Kikendawt Kinoomaadii Gamig also got to visit their local water treatment plant. While they were there, the students met Louise, the plant operator, and two interns from the Drinking Water Internship program, Kennedy Dokis and Harmony Restoule, who work at the plant.

One of our educators, Adrianna Bilinski, explained, “Many students knew Louise, and her face lit up to see them and their excitement to learn about her work. One student exclaimed ‘I didn’t know you were a scientist! I want to be a scientist when I get older.’”

Making connections between Water First programs is also an important feature of our work. Interconnectivity has many facets – like graduates from a Drinking Water Internship explaining water science concepts to younger students in Naskapi First Nation, or high school students in Brunswick House First Nation lending a hand with an Environmental Water project. Read more about how we nurture interconnectivity.

When possible, we try to bring students to the local water treatment plant. This helps bring their understanding of water and water monitoring processes full circle. It also helps to deepen their appreciation for the work that goes into providing a community with safe, clean water.

Woman showing a group of children how to test drinking water.

Woman showing a child how to add something to the water to make it safe to drink.

Water- and fish-themed programming in the Northwest Territories

Last August, the Schools Program had our first-ever trip to the Northwest Territories!

We were honoured to join the Délı̨nę Got’ine Government’s 5th Annual Sadǝ́ Camp. Working with students aged 6-13, Catherine and Ter delivered a fun week-long water and fish-themed program that focused on learning about Great Bear Lake. Students enjoyed many hands-on activities: using water science tools to learn about water testing⁠, exploring how their watershed connects to the Arctic Ocean⁠, going out on a boat to learn traditional methods of fish pulling⁠, learning how to clean and smoke fish, and making art using deer hides⁠. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!

Sunny days and fun water-science learning in Nunavik

In June 2022, the team was in Kuujjuaq Inuit Village in northern Quebec to deliver fun, hands-on water science activities with five different classes at Jaanimmarik High School (in both French and English). The program included getting out on the ice at Stewart Lake, the community’s drinking water source. Students used an underwater camera to search for aquatic life.

In a new program, Full Circle, students learned about the entire water treatment process using flashcards, pipes and more. To bring the lesson “full circle,” the students visited the local water treatment plant where they met Paul, the operator. Paul showed the students the real-life versions of many of the stages of the water treatment process that the students had learned in class, including intake pipes, UV lightbulbs for disinfecting and slow sand filters.

In January 2023, the team was in Kuujjuaq again, as well as another Inuit village, Kangirsuk. Adrianna Bilinski (who you can get to know a bit better in this video), Water First’s Indigenous School Engagement Program Manager, described the experience as “almost too beautiful for words.” The team had the privilege of working with students in different grades and inspiring them to take an interest in water science.

Click the link below to read Adrianna’s full blog post about this unforgettable trip.

Summer Credit Programs integrate experiential learning and Indigenous culture

While the main objective with Summer Credit Programs is for students to earn high school credits, the programs are also delivered in a way that integrates Indigenous culture: learning on the land, working with water and fish, and learning from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, local lands and water organizations and community programs.

Water First’s Summer Credit Programs prioritize hands-on, experiential learning as an alternative to mainstream teaching methods. Students get to continue their learning journey and gain credits towards graduation from high school in a way that meets their needs. Our programs are project-based, so students can take pride in contributing to their community’s growth. Students also gain foundational knowledge to prepare for jobs or other opportunities in water.⁠

Read more about the Summer Credit Program we delivered for the second time with Beausoleil First Nation, and for the first time with students from Saugeen First Nation and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.

We’re excited for our third year of Summer Credit Programs to come in 2023. Stay tuned for future updates!

When Indigenous youth succeed, whole communities benefit

Water First’s Educational Programs Manager Dillon Koopmans shared his thoughts on how Indigenous youth employment benefits whole communities on the CareerWise blog.

On the horizon for 2023

In early May, we will be in Edmonton for Soaring, an Indigenous youth empowerment gathering hosted by Indspire. If you are attending, please drop by our booth and say hello!

Later in the summer, for a second year, Water First will be collaborating with Lakehead University and N’bi Kendaaswin (Water Knowledge) expert and PhD., Vanier Scholar Susan Chiblow to deliver Aki Kikinomakaywin. This summer learning experience offers hands-on STEAM learning opportunities for Indigenous Youth in Northern Ontario. Aki Kikinomakaywin is a women- and Indigenous-led program that teaches Indigenous youth ages 12-14 from northern Ontario First Nation communities Indigenous ways of knowing and being through learning on the land and through the use of western science techniques.

We also have a number of other inspiring and exciting trips to other schools planned for the year. Watch for our next update later in the year to hear more.

Our heartfelt thanks for your support!

Paddling Through the Weeds

October 27th, 2022

by Adrianna Bilinski, Indigenous School Engagement Coordinator

Over the last few years, the Schools Program team at Water First has been building strong, lasting relationships with community members at Beausoleil First Nation. We’ve piloted different hands-on water science programs with the local school and watched the students grow – both physically and mentally.

Based on the successful programs we have facilitated together over the past few years, this summer, the community requested that we expand our summer curriculum. Last summer, the Schools Program team delivered our first Summer Credit Program, an 8-week outdoor, experiential learning program that helped give students entering Grade 9 a head start by earning a Geography credit! This year, we expanded the program to work through the Grade 9 Science curriculum, in addition to last year’s Geography curriculum. The addition of a second high school credit over the summer pushed facilitators and students alike to work tirelessly and passionately over the 8-week program with amazing success and outcomes.

The summer began with the students planting their own gardens to maintain throughout the program. They researched which fruits and vegetables should be planted together and why. They learned about how different elements from the periodic table are used or produced by certain vegetables, and this helped them make their choices.

Beyond their gardens, students led a summer-long beach monitoring project. Every week they took water samples and sent them to the local health unit to keep their community advised if E.coli levels were safe for swimming. Students learned more in class about bacteria growth in water by growing our own bacteria in an IDEXX incubator.

Another incredible project that students took the lead on was removing an invasive species called phragmites from one of the lake shores on the island. This project was a great combination of taking care of the community and learning as the summer progressed.

After the pilot last year, all of our partners were eager to run the program again, including Beausoleil First Nation, Right to Play and the school board. In fact, the success of the initial program inspired the local school board to run their own version of the Summer Credit Program in two other locations, both a replica of the Geography course that ran last summer.

On Christian Island, the Schools Program team at Water First has had the opportunity to work with this particular group of students for three programs prior to this year’s Summer Credit Program. In a survey that was done before the program began this summer, a quarter of the students answered that they were taking the course because they really like Water First programming. One parent even reached out and said that her son “has surely enjoyed this opportunity.” We are so privileged to have the opportunity to know these students and to provide an opportunity for them to have a head start in their high school career!

Learn more about Water First’s Schools Program here!

Summer Credit Program: Earning High School Credits Through Experiential Learning

October 7th, 2022

In late August 2022, Water First’s Schools Program team wrapped up its second year of delivering the Summer Credit Program.

Students from schools in Indigenous communities took part in a multi-week, land-based, experiential learning program full of fun, hands-on water science activities, through which participants can earn high school credits like Geography or Science. (Sounds familiar? See our update about last year’s program with Beausoleil First Nation here.) This summer, the Program was delivered again with Beausoleil First Nation, and for the first time with students from Saugeen First Nation and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, based out of Cape Croker Park in Nawash.

Why is it important for Water First to deliver experiential high school programs like these?

While the main objective is for students to earn high school credits, we deliver the program in a way that deeply integrates Indigenous culture: learning on the land, working with water and fish, and learning from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, local lands and waters organizations and community programs. Gaining high school credits through land-based programs like the Summer Credit Program that Water First designed provides an alternative way of learning that supports our community partners.

The 2021 census shows that among Indigenous youth aged 20 to 24, 70% had completed high school in 2016, up from 57% in 2006. In this time-frame, there was a shift in teaching styles to emphasize experiential learning. We can see this in the publication of various teaching resources such as Natural Curiosity (2011), Our Words, Our Ways: Teaching First Nations, Métis and Inuit Learners, Alberta Education (2005) and Protecting our Sacred Water (2017). We believe this shift to experiential learning helps Indigenous students get the high school credits they need to graduate.

Traditional classroom learning methods are not inclusive of all learning needs. Water First’s Summer Credit Program prioritizes hands-on, experiential learning as an alternative to mainstream teaching methods. Students get to continue their learning journey and gain credits towards graduation from high school in a way that meets their needs. Our programs are project-based, so students can to take pride in contributing to their community’s growth. Students also gain foundational knowledge to prepare for jobs, careers or other opportunities in water, such as a summer at their local Lands and Resources Department.

The program is continuing to expand, with plans to run three programs next summer!

The Summer Credit Program at Cape Croker Park

Tanya from our Schools Program recently wrapped up a 3-week Summer Credit Program at Cape Croker Park in the community of Nawash, a partnership with the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board. The outdoor experiential learning program offered students from Grades 9-12 the opportunity to earn either Grade 9 Geography or Grade 11 Environmental Science credits. Here’s Tanya’s perspective on how the program went:

Set in beautiful Cape Croker Park, located in Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, our classroom was a circle of picnic tables under a canopy tent. Mornings often began by a small fire with the trees rustling overhead and our friendly chipmunk, Sam, paying us a visit. A five-minute walk along a dirt path led us to the cool waters of Georgian Bay, with access to a variety of trails not much farther away.

The Experience

The program opened with a local Elder from Nawash, Shirly John, who spoke with the students about their responsibility to care for the Earth and that education was a part of that. She spoke about the 7 Grandfather Teachings and shared some of her traditional practices related to the 13 moons. This visit resonated with the students and many of her teachings were carried on throughout the course.

By the end of week one, our morning routine was perfected: we started with a journal prompt to get students thinking about upcoming learning, followed by a morning smudge offered around the circle, and finished with each of us sharing what we were grateful for that day.

Week 1: Learning From the Land

The first week was all about making connections – between students, lands and water; among earth processes and watershed systems; and on a global scale relating to ocean currents, the greenhouse effect and climate change. The “Global Ocean Conveyor Belt” exercise helped students visualize these interconnections and flows.

The students had the chance to connect with special guests, including former NHL hockey player Ted Nolan and his sons, Brandon and Jordan, who talked about the importance of family, education and hard work; and Knowledge Keeper and local artist Brad Kiwenzie, who shared pieces of his artwork and spoke about the traditional stories and practices told by his art. The students listened attentively to each guest and asked unending strings of questions connected to their communities and local stories.

During hikes through local areas – including the nearby caves on the Waazh Miikaans Trail at Cape Broker Park and a trek up the challenging Sydney Bay Bluffs – students explored weathering and erosion and learned about the historical geomorphology and topography of the region.

These hands-on activities were balanced by some fun too – including a generous barbeque meal and some ball hockey.

Week 2: Interacting with the Water

Our second week began with a visit from Alex Duncan and Ruth Duncan of Nawash Fisheries. Alex talked about his work on a whitefish monitoring program in Lake Huron. This program makes use of two-eyed seeing, where Nawash Fisheries meets with Elders and Local Knowledge Keepers to better understand the natural patterns of the whitefish. Students interacted with a large map of the area, and asked about changes in the lands and waters of past and present. Alex and Ruth gave students some hands-on time on specialized equipment, including an underwater Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV). A geocaching exercise led by Joseph Hoang, a summer employee with Water First’s schools team, gave students the chance to flex their skills at following clues and using GPS. Following these experiential activities, students learned about aquatic biodiversity and the impact of invasive species. They also rolled up their sleeves (and pants!) and got into the water to collect benthic invertebrates to study under the microscope.

This week was full of memorable learning experiences. A field trip to the tip of the Bruce Peninsula in Tobermory featuring guided hikes of Burnt Loop Trail and the Ginebek Miikans. A high ropes course where we were harnessed in, helmets buckled, and swinging 40 feet above the ground. A visit with Emily Mansur and her colleague from Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) Coastal Waters Monitoring Program at one of over 50 monitoring sites along the coast of the peninsula.

There was also an exciting adventure that allowed the students to help find a lost dog and reunite him with his family!

Through hands-on science learning experiences – including fish collection with seine netting and getting into hip-waders to collect samples for a baseline environmental water test – the students gained valuable experience with important techniques and processes.

Best of all, students got a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of Earth’s natural systems and how vital each piece of that system is to the successful balance of a healthy planet.

Week 3: Linking Community

The third week kicked off with a morning hike to the Cape Croker Park caves. The first day focused on learning all about drinking water advisories (DWAs) through examining case studies, listening to each other’s experiences and using interactive tools to learn about different levels of DWAs.

Another week, another field trip — this time to the Water Treatment Plant in Nawash. Students got to see their learning about DWAs in real life, since Nawash has been under a long-term Boil Water Advisory (BWA) for several years. Plant operators Fred Dubeau and Devin Wilhelm led a tour of their facility, and talked about everything from operation and safety protocols, to the full range of their responsibilities. We also got to see the building of the new modern plant at another location in the community, to be completed within the year.

Later in the week, we met up again with SON’s Emily Mansur and her colleagues at Chief’s Point, a coastal monitoring site on Saugeen First Nation land on the other side of the peninsula from Nawash. Here we learned about aquatic plant identification, practiced our seine netting, and helped with checking a fyke net. We also learned about collecting water samples to test for fish species’ DNA.

On our return trip, we stopped by the Oliphant Fen Boardwalk, home to an incredible number of unique plant species, including carnivorous plants and orchids! Some students were familiar with some of these plants and shared their traditional knowledge about them with the rest of the group.

Our final day was spent at home base, Cape Croker Park. The students wrapped up their projects for the week and then enjoyed a celebratory barbeque with families, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community members, guides, and teachers.

I could tell the students were leaving with their heads and hearts full of everything they had experienced. Chii Miigwetch to everyone that made this experiential summer credit program into such an incredible success!

Click here to learn more about Water First’s Schools Programs.

Chapleau High School Students Help With Climate Monitoring Study

July 11th, 2022

Cory and Tanya from our Environmental and Indigenous Schools Water Programs were up in Brunswick House First Nation (BHFN) in June to run some really cool collaborative programming with the community!

On the Environmental side, we began an initial survey of 6 climate monitoring sites in the area, as BHFN has noticed changes to their lands and waters over the last few decades. Through this project, we will work with BHFN to develop a climate monitoring plan to measure how climate change might continue to affect the environment. This could include things like plants, snow, water levels, algae blooms, ice thickness, how climate and water will interact differently, and more. A recently assembled student team will monitor the six chosen sites throughout the summer.

This trip was also a chance to meet with the team: Lisa, the manager; Santana, the lead student hired by BHFN’s Lands and Resources Department; and 2 Grade 10 students from BHFN. We hope to engage many youths throughout the project, making it a sustainable project for years to come.

While preparing the Duck Lake Wetland monitoring site, Cory noted that several community members came by to stop and ask questions about what we were doing. Later, when students from Grades 6-11 at Chapleau High School joined to take samples and observations from the Wetlands, several more community members and parents waved and chatted once more. It was an excellent opportunity to connect the students’ work with the community

This visit with Chapleau High School proved how much the students enjoyed themselves during the virtual programs. They remembered EVERYTHING! It was so fun and exciting to have students from Grades 6-11 so engaged in water science skills and knowledge. Cory led them in an Isotope lesson and activity, and the following day saw them applying the old and new skills in the field. They also practiced identifying species of interest on the surrounding land (blueberries, raspberries, etc.). Some of the students had excellent plant ID skills!

Inter-program Collaborations in Naskapi

June 10th, 2022

In late May, Dillon from our Schools Program team was in the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach to work with students from Jimmy Sandy Memorial School. After lengthy COVID restrictions, students and staff were thrilled to have some hands-on water science activities, including time on the land with fun tools and equipment.

Dillon worked with high school classes from three different grade levels, with a theme of water quality and watershed stewardship. Students learned to run their own “micro” water quality monitoring programs in our “Model Watershed” activity. They also learned how to interpret water quality data to identify sources of water pollution in our “Watershed Mysteries” activity. This 3-day water quality workshop was a warm-up for our fish habitat work that will pick up speed this summer. The land and water was our ideal classroom to learn and practice water testing and sampling techniques – including use of a YSI meter, recording good site information on data sheets, and use of some benchtop lab instruments (a turbidimeter and a colorimeter).

The big surprise was a visit to the community drinking water treatment plant! Jag (from the Water First Environmental Water Program team) arranged a guided tour by the plant operator, and the students learned about the system of pumps and filters that purify their water. They also learned that cleaner source water requires less intense treatment in the plant, calling back to the importance of good watershed stewardship!

Students went out on the land to learn about and practice water quality testing using Water Rangers kits. In this photo, they’re doing a dissolved oxygen test which acts as an indicator of the health of the water.

In addition to participating in the environmental water project this summer, Noah visited the local school to work with our Indigenous Schools Water Program on fun, hands-on water science programming.

Being from the community, Noah was able to chat with the students in Naskapi, the local language. Keegan, one of our technical trainers, noted that the students seemed to be more engaged in what was being taught when Noah explained the concepts to them in Naskapi.

When possible, we try to bring students to the local water treatment plant. This helps bring their understanding of water and water monitoring processes full circle. It also helps to deepen their appreciation for the work that goes into providing a community with safe, clean water.

Throughout the week, Keegan (from our Enviro team) and Kabimbetas (Noah) Mokoush, a long-standing Environmental Intern from the community, joined in the school programming. They showed the students the water quality tools that they use in their own environmental projects and explained the importance of those projects in the community. Kabimbetas drew on his years of experience in these projects to explain water science concepts to the students in the Naskapi language. Hearing the concepts in their own language, explained in a more familiar context, helped the students to grasp how watersheds work.

For Water First, inter-program collaborations like these deepen the impact of our programming in the community. For our interns, teaching the concepts they’ve learned to younger students helps to deepen and solidify their own knowledge — as they say, the best way to learn is by teaching someone else. We love it when our teams get to work together. It benefits everyone!

Each week this spring, this team sampled water at several locations around their community, before we transitioned into our fish habitat assessment work in July. This water quality data will form a valuable baseline for their region, and the sampling trips will help keep their knowledge and skills sharp!

As an added bonus, Water First staff were grateful to join the Community Cookout in Kawawachikamach — an event that has been missed during the pandemic. It was a chance for everyone in the community to come together over laughter and good food, including country foods like caribou, goose, ptarmigan, and lake trout!

Noah Mokoush has worked with Water First for many years. During the training, he was able to share his knowledge of water science tools and equipment with the other participants.

Noah and Cheyenne Swappie, both past interns, took on a leadership role with the newly hired interns and demonstrated use of the tools and equipment for the group. In this photo, they’re showing the group how to use a YSI Meter that tests for dissolved oxygen, temperature and pH.

In preparation for the summer fish habitat assessment project, newly hired interns and previous partners spent time becoming familiar with various water quality monitoring tools and equipment.

Group photo outside of the Naskapi Water Pumphouse.

Dillon from our Indigenous Schools Water Program at a local feast, the first gathering since before COVID; Caribou, pemmican, geese, fish, bannock!

#NoFilter

Water Walk with Wasauksing First Nation

June 7th, 2022

The Schools Program team was in Wasauksing First Nation a few weeks ago, working with students from Wasauksing Kinomaugewgamik. The school runs a Water Week each spring to close out a year spent learning about the water. Coordinating alongside school staff members Melanie Dolson (Grade 3/4 teacher) and Deina Bomberry (Language/Cultural teacher and Local Water Walker), Water First was invited to run programming during this week-long event.

“As a school (we) like to call ourselves water protectors,” said Bomberry, the school tries to highlight water protection all year round and not only in March, which is considered Water Action Month. “It’s our way of life. It’s part of who we are as First Nation peoples.”

Our ‘What’s in Your Water’ program had students exploring Wasauksing First Nation’s connection with their watershed, learning about spawning shoals and invasive species, going on field trips to the Aqua-Cage Fisheries (fish farm), and collecting and analyzing water monitoring samples.

Isaiah Tabobondung (a previous student of Wasauksing Kinomaugewgamik and current Water First Drinking Water Intern) visited and shared with the students about his experiences and current work. He also brought in some tools to demonstrate water testing.

We were honoured to participate in the community’s 10th Water Walk, community feast, and art exhibit run by Bomberry. A school Eagle Staff was created by incorporating the youths’ ideas as a symbol of the community, which was presented through a ceremony of drum and song, and concluded with passing the Staff to the oldest and youngest students in the community. The event was even featured in the local newspaper. So fun!

At the beach learning about the activities of the day.

Learrning to use secchi disks to measure turbidity and water depth.

Students using secchi disks to measure turbidity and water depth.

Student in waders using the aquaviewer.

Student looking into a cage at the local fish farm.

Kindergarteners building spawning shoals.

Isaiah, a current intern in the Georgian Bay Drinking Water Internship Program, sharing his experiences at the water treatment plant.

During the Water Walk.

Dina, the water walker midewin.

What’s in Your Water in Manitoba

May 27th, 2022

After much delay due to COVID travel restrictions, our Indigenous Schools Water Program team was able to travel to Manitoba in May to work with students from Lake St. Martin and Pinaymootang First Nations!

The team delivered the ‘What’s in Your Water’ program, which had students gain an understanding of various water quality parameters like hardness, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, turbidity, and conductivity. After learning about these parameters, the students were presented with 5 water samples, coming from various locations, such as a tap, a community drainage ditch, or Lake Saint Martin. To test their knowledge, students used the results from their tests to determine where each water sample came from!

After a week of these types of hands-on water science activities, Gerald Anderson, a grade 6 teacher from Pinaymootang First Nation, commemorated the visit with an article in the school newspaper. How sweet is that?

Water First’s School Engagement team was grateful to then re-visit the students, teachers and community members of Lake St. Martin First Nation. Here, we had the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with students, teachers and Elders about the causes and effects of the devastating 2011 flood that displaced families from their lands for years. The flood ultimately led to the permanent relocation of the community- a process which began in 2016. This brought some meaningful local context to the workshop.

Our programming emphasizes the importance of strengthening Indigenous representation in the STEM fields. We want students to feel excited to be part of the next generation of important decision-makers when it comes to water governance in Canada. We aspire to inspire empowered stewards of their lands.

Water First To Build New Operations Hub to Support Significant Growth in Programming

April 29th, 2022

The Water First Operations Hub will serve as a centre of effective coordination supporting partnerships with Indigenous communities from coast to coast to coast.

Water First is excited to announce plans for a new Operations Hub based at 10 Francis Street East in Creemore, Ontario. The Water First Operations Hub will serve as a centre of effective coordination supporting partnerships with numerous Indigenous community partners each year. The Creemore-based Operations Hub will provide vital space for equipment coordination, distribution, and storage, as well as vehicle and boat parking, office space, and stability for the organization.

As an organization, we have unique needs based on collaborations in education and technical skills training projects with Indigenous communities. As operations have expanded, the amount of technical water science equipment and teaching aids required for programming has also grown. As a result, our current office space is no longer suited for managing proper equipment coordination, maintenance, distribution, and storage. In response to the growing reality of increased work from home opportunities and more remote staff joining the team, the new Operations Hub will have reduced office space and increased space for equipment coordination.

Over the past year, we consulted with many donors, community supporters, and volunteers on establishing an Operations Hub. Through strategic investment, our new space will better meet the unique needs of our organization and accommodate future expansion plans. In the coming months, Water First will be launching a capital campaign to raise funds for building renovations and capital costs.

“Water First is investing in the Creemore area to support scaling our programs to meet the needs of any Indigenous community in Canada seeking a partnership with us,” shares John Millar, Water First executive director and founder. “We have seen a number of location changes as the organization has grown over the past 13 years. The new Operations Hub will provide important equipment coordination space, room for growth, and also stability to many local staff in the area. We look forward to sharing the vision for this new space with our Creemore neighbours and supporters in the near future.”

What was once a small charitable nonprofit organization, Water First is now a thriving and expanding organization with over 30 staff. To date, we have collaborated with 60 Indigenous communities across Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Labrador, and are in discussions with many potential community partners across the country to explore sustainable and collaborative water solutions.

Planting the Seed for Future Water Scientists

April 28th, 2022

Our Indigenous Schools team was recently in Dokis First Nation. During this program, students at Kikendawt Kinoomaadii Gamig went to visit their local water treatment plant. Going to visit the plant strengthens the students’ appreciation and respect for where clean water comes from, and for the passionate work that goes into ensuring water is safe to drink. While they were there, the students met Louise, the water treatment plant operator, and two interns from the Drinking Water Internship program, Kennedy Dokis and Harmony Restoule who are currently working at the plant. How cool is that?!

The long-term vision of our Indigenous Schools Water Program is to provide opportunities for Indigenous school-aged students to see a future for themselves in the water sciences. By seeing community members working to provide clean water, students deepen their connections to the content in the workshops, and can even see themselves in a similar position someday.

So, when Louise, Kennedy, and Harmony then also visited the classroom to share their personal experiences with the kids about what they are doing at the water treatment plant and why it’s important, that’s exactly what happened! The younger kids thought of Louise as a “Water Doctor” and expressed a desire to “be water scientists” when they grew up.

One of our educators, Adrianna Bilinkski, explained, “At the water treatment plant many of the students knew Louise, and her face lit up to see them and their excitement to learn about her work. There were many hugs given, and one student exclaimed to Louise ‘I didn’t know you were a scientist!’ and proceeded to say, ‘I want to be a scientist when I get older’.”

On the final day, Veronica Dokis shared some of Dokis’ history with the students. Reaching back to where the people lived in 1850 with the signing of the Robinson-Huron treaty. She explained that the people used large canoes to travel the lakes and river when the water was open, and horse-drawn sleds when the water was frozen over. She encouraged them to go home and ask their grandparents or others in the community about these times because they actually lived it; they remember how vital the water was to the people.

Learn more about the Indigenous Schools Water Program here.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Donate $500,000 in Support of Training, Education and Skills Development for Indigenous Youth and Young Adults

March 24th, 2022

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have made a donation in support of locally-based, hands-on skills training and education programs. Reynolds’ & Lively’s $500,000 contribution will provide resources for more young Indigenous adults to become water treatment plant operators and environmental water science technicians, as well as engage Indigenous school-aged students in water science.

“Access to clean drinking water is a basic human right. Canada is home to over 20% of the planet’s freshwater — an abundance that’s envied around the world. There’s absolutely no reason Indigenous communities should not have access to safe, clean water. All the individuals involved, whether they are operating water systems or monitoring their local water bodies, are critical. We appreciate Water First’s focus on supporting young, Indigenous adults to become certified water operators and environmental technicians. These folks are helping to ensure sustainable access to safe, clean water locally, now and for the future. Blake and I are thrilled to support this important work,” shares Reynolds.

Water First has been in discussions with Ryan and Blake since January to share more about the organization’s approach to partnering and collaborating with Indigenous communities to help increase local water-science capacity.

“From our first conversation with Ryan, his genuine interest in supporting education and training opportunities for young Indigenous adults and youth has been clear. Many Indigenous community partners are reaching out to Water First to explore options to strengthen local technical capacity in the water field. Ryan and Blake’s tremendous support will significantly increase Water First’s ability to offer hands-on skills training to more Indigenous youth and young adults from coast to coast to coast,” said John Millar, executive director and founder at Water First. “We are proud to support the steps Indigenous communities are taking to address local water challenges independently and for the long term.”

Spencer Welling, Water First intern from Wasauksing First Nation shares, “I am doing this for myself, my family and community. It’s important to know how things are done and gives you a better appreciation for it. It’s a good career to have, which I’m sure would ease my parents’ minds knowing that. It also feels good knowing that my community will have a local water treatment operator at the plant for at least a couple decades.”

Indigenous Schools Water Program

January 25th, 2022

Next Generation of Water Scientists

Indigenous Schools Water Program | Winter 2022

Considering the water crisis faced by many Indigenous communities, there is a profound underrepresentation of Indigenous voices in Canada's water governance.

Couple this with a lack of employment opportunities for Indigenous youth and it becomes clear that it is critical we continue to offer Indigenous students the most impassioned, empowering and exciting Water Science education learning opportunities possible.

Water First’s Indigenous School Water Program team delivers workshops and hands-on STEM experiences for school-aged Indigenous youth to learn about their local watersheds and the factors that contribute to a healthy ecosystem. These programs create opportunities for students to strengthen their understanding and relationship with the environment, and to foster a love of Water Science.

During the programs, students spend time on the land and in the classroom exploring topics using Water Science tools and Water First learning resources. Water First regularly works alongside local community land-based learning or outdoor cultural training programs. This strengthens the breadth of the programming and student connections with their lands.

Community elders made suggestions for areas of interest to be tested along Bear Island’s shores. Students were taught how to use tools like multiparameter readers to take before and after samples of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and conductivity throughout these lessons.

At a small beach on Lake Temagami, students built a topographic model of Bear Island in the sand. A ‘pollution source’ was later added, and a simulated rainstorm demonstrated how point-source pollution negatively affects a watershed.

Fueling Inspiration in Indigenous Youth Through Interconnected Programming

At Water First, we intentionally seek ways to interconnect our three program areas. In doing so, we are excited to report that all seven of our ISWP workshops delivered this fall were in one way or another linked to either the Drinking Water Internship or the Environmental Water Programs. This interconnectivity deepens our relationships with partner communities and strengthens the relationships within communities.

Shoreline Learning with Teme-Augama Anishnabai, the Deep Water People

Bear Island rests at the heart of Lake Temagami. It is home to Temagami First Nation, and about 250 Teme-Augama Anishnabai, the Deep Water People. In October, Water First was invited to work alongside community members to engage youth in Water Science workshops at the First Nation’s primary school, the Laura McKenzie Learning Centre. We spent five days with students from Grades 3 to 8 in their classrooms, on the land, and of course learning from the water itself, Lake Temagami.

At a small beach on Lake Temagami, students built a topographic model of Bear Island in the sand. A ‘pollution source’ was later added, and a simulated rainstorm demonstrated how point-source pollution negatively affects a watershed.

Community elders made suggestions for areas of interest to be tested along Bear Island’s shores.

Plankton nets were used to collect samples of microorganisms from the lake to examine under a microscope.

Students were taught how to use tools like multiparameter readers to take before and after samples of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and conductivity throughout these lessons.

Students visited the water’s edge beside the community’s water treatment plant. They extended their knowledge and use of scientific tools by measuring parameters like wind speed, hardness, alkalinity, pH, TDS and conductivity. A Drinking Water Internship Intern, Nick Chapman from Temagami, joined the group to help with the workshop.

Lastly, students tabulated the data collected throughout the week and interpreted the story behind the numbers. They received a Water Rangers kit to continue with a regular water sampling project in their community.

Nick reflected on her experience of working with the Indigenous Schools Water Program in her community:

To read the full blog post about ISWP’s visit to Temagami First Nation, click here.

Connecting Youth, Science, Water, and Community in Sheshatshiu (Shé-ha-ji-u) Innu First Nation

Whenever possible, we welcome guest speakers from the community to join us. This supports students to more meaningfully connect and relate to the local geography, context and needs. We travelled to Sheshatshiu in Labrador this fall. While there we were privileged to have three community members present to the students: Napess Ashini, a knowledge keeper, Ian Rich, the local water treatment plant operator, and Seth Hurley, a Water First Intern working with Water First’s Ryan Osman on a couple of environmental water projects in the area.

Napass Ashini came to speak on the first day of programming. He brought important local Innu history and ways of knowing that helped frame the whole week of learning at the school.

Ian Rich spoke with two classes, and he brought testing tools used in the water treatment plant to measure the chlorine level in the tap water and turbidity levels. The students were able to run the tests themselves, and they had a lot of questions for Ian.

Seth spoke with three different groups of students throughout the week. Many of the students recognized him from around the community. Because of that familiarity, both Seth and the students felt at ease and eager to share and learn. He showed the students some technology that he had learned to use during Water First training on the fish habitat and climate change projects, and the students had an opportunity to use those tools themselves.

To read the full blog post about ISWP’s visit to Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, click here.

Drinking Water Graduate Visits Tours Gaagagekiizik School in Kenora

We have the honour of delivering our workshops in all of the communities involved in the Drinking Water Internship. This fall, we travelled to Kenora, Ontario to work with students from 3 communities within Bimose Tribal Council: Gaagagekiizik School (or Kiizhik for short) in Kenora, Iskatewizaagegan 39 Independent First Nation (Shoal Lake 39) and Obashkaandagaang First Nation (Washagamis Bay).

Nathan Copenace from Washagamis Bay, a recent graduate of the Drinking Water Internship Program, came to Kenora to visit the students at Kiizhik School. He joined this lesson to talk about his role in the community as a water treatment plant operator and shared with the students how he got involved and the importance of water and the role he has now.

Later in the season, when ISWP returned to Northwestern Ontario to work with students in Washagamis Bay, Nathan took the students for a tour of their community’s water treatment plant for a first-hand look at what Nathan’s new career looks like.

To read more about Nathan’s experience in the Drinking Water Internship Program and what it means to him and his community, read his interview in the Toronto Star here.

Drinking Water Graduate Speaks to Youth to Envision Future Water Science Careers

Since piloting the Drinking Water Internship with 7 First Nations communities of Manitoulin Island in 2017-2018, our relationship with the communities deepens as we continue to return to deliver workshops in the schools. In this video one of the graduates of that first Internship, Eric Vautour, sets the stage to fuel and inspire Indigenous youth to envision themselves in a future Water Science career.

During this period of time when staying connected can be difficult, all of the connections being made - between programs, people, place and community - feel all the more precious. Thank you - to the donors and champions of the program.

Perseverance and Lasting Results

January 20th, 2022

Christian Island Elementary School and Water First Building on Foundations

Our project with Beausoleil First Nation and the Christian Island Elementary School had humble beginnings in the spring of 2019 as we planned program dates to work at the school. The past two years have been an incredible journey of learning for our team, and we have seen a wonderful community partnership grow.

As you may expect, our original end date of the program, set for Spring 2020, was postponed due to COVID restrictions. We started making adjustments to virtual program delivery. This looked very different than anything we could have imagined when we began. However, it turned into a blessing because we had a rare and lovely opportunity to work with some of the same students two years in a row. As educators, we could not have been more excited to see familiar faces and build on the learning we did together the previous year. This opportunity led to impressive results and confirmed the importance of consecutive visits to communities and schools to build trust and see meaningful learning.

We delivered our first workshops with Beausoleil First Nation in November of 2019. We were in the community working directly with the students in their classes, hoping to guide a student-led conservation action project. We hoped to visit the school several times to support the sustainability of their project.

From a program perspective, the most exhilarating part of the job is seeing results, but it can take time and patience to get there. Sometimes we can come up with new and out-of-the-box ideas and think to ourselves, “It will either soar to new heights or crash and burn.” We are happy to say that in Beausoleil First Nation, we took flight!

The first sign of success was during a trivia game we used as a review during the workshop series. The students’ correct answers were faster than the speed of light shooting straight at us through the interwebs. Feelings of relief and excitement hit us with every flash of knowledge as answers came in about the content and context of water health and the tools we shared.

These were students that were listening even though we couldn’t see them at times through our video chat. This was just one of the challenges we faced with virtual program delivery, but seeing the students thrive, triumphed over all the doubts and fears we may have faced; doubts rooted in unknown questions, which the class navigated with us gracefully.

In February 2021, to mark the end of the program, the students created a final presentation that summarized their learning; this was the true evidence of success for us. In this project, the group said “[they] learned what a watershed is and how pollution travels through it.” The knowledge they shared as a result of our programming was a huge inspiration to us. Not only did they know how to take measurements in a water sample, they knew what they were measuring and why it might be important. Knowledge is the first step in making a difference to the watershed, and as the class put it, “We learned these water testing skills and information so we can be better community members and protect the health of our water and local fish.”

Thanks to the Ontario Trillium Foundation and their flexibility on COVID-related timelines, the work in Beausoleil was a huge success and helped us to make significant roots for continued collaboration.

We were honoured to be welcomed back to the community for a summer learning project and to the school for the 2021/2022 school year. Our summer learning project resulted in 9 grade 8 students earning their grade 9 geography credit over the summer before their grade 9 year started. Water First is excited to continue to work in Beausoleil as long as the community will have us. However, with the promise these students have shown they won’t need us for long because they will be taking over themselves!

Indigenous Schools Water Program Visits Temagami First Nation

January 18th, 2022

In late October, the Indigenous Schools Water Program visited Laura McKenzie Learning Centre in Temagami First Nation. Programming for the week took place entirely on Bear Island and included a combination of on-the-land and in-class instruction.

The team delivered our ‘What’s in your Water?’ program to grades 3/4/5 and 6/7/8.

The week began by building a model of the Lake Temagami watershed, using tools to represent wetlands, forests, buildings, and pollution sources.

At a small beach on Lake Temagami, students then built a topographic model of Bear Island in the sand. A ‘pollution source’ was later added, and a simulated rainstorm demonstrated how point-source pollution negatively affects a watershed.

Students were taught how to use tools like multiparameter readers to take before and after samples of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and conductivity throughout these lessons.

On another day, the students visited the water’s edge beside the community’s water treatment plant.

They extended their knowledge and use of scientific tools by measuring parameters to include water and air, wind speed, hardness, alkalinity, pH, TDS and conductivity.

Plankton nets were used to collect samples of microorganisms from the lake to examine under a microscope.

The students took a dive into the water treatment process with the Pollution Solutions lesson.

The lesson started with a replica of a polluted water body, complete with metal pollutants, sludge, oil and top litter.

Using ‘Water First Dollars’, groups could ‘purchase’ tools to clean and separate the pollutants from the clean water.

Lastly, students tabulated the data collected throughout the week and interpreted the story behind the numbers.

They received a Water Ranger’s kit to continue with a regular water sampling project in their community. Community elders made suggestions for areas of interest to be tested along Bear Island’s shores.

Some fun, cross-program excitement: Nick Chapman, an intern with the Drinking Water Internship Program in the Georgian Bay area, joined to assist with program delivery and instruction throughout the week. Nick began the week shadowing workshops and was leading activities on water filtration by the end of the week.

We were very fortunate to present alongside two elders, who provided invaluable connections to local culture. Boshk Aguonia and Paula Potts.

To learn more about Water First’s Indigenous Schools Water Program, click here.

Connecting Youth, Science, Water, and Community

January 4th, 2022

Connecting Youth, Science, Water, and Community

Water First Indigenous Schools Water Program and Environmental Water Program Work Together in Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation (SIFN).

By Adrianna Bilinski, Indigenous School Engagement Coordinator at Water First

What does Water First do exactly? I get this question a lot from my family and friends, so I am sure others would like to know as well. We have three main field departments: Drinking Water Internship Programs, Environmental Water Projects, and Indigenous Schools Water Programs (ISWP).

Internally, we are very intentional about deepening the interconnectedness of program areas. This makes our programs and our staff stronger and more connected – to each other and to our community partners. An example of this connectedness is our current work with the Innu Community of Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation in Labrador:

In January 2020, ISWP visited Labrador to work with students at Sheshatshiu (Shé-ha-ji-u) Innu School. This was the first time Water First had worked in Labrador, and it was also my first trip as a program lead, so it was exciting for me.

We planned to study freshwater samples with the students from Lake Melville. However, since it was January, the water was frozen. This created another first for us as we went out on the ice and cut through it to get water samples from the frozen water body.

From using the auger to using a traditional Innu and Inuit ice pick method to open the ice, the activity was well received. The students were engaged throughout, and they had fun – even those who didn’t come prepared! Pictured here, I lent my winter coat and gloves to a student on the ice so he could participate.

Community needs are always at the forefront of our projects. The first visit to a community can really help our team better understand the needs of the community and their long-term vision regarding their waters.

In many ways, ISWP’s first trip to Labrador became the milestone that led to environmental water projects that are now, in 2022, deep-rooted in the community. When we returned in November 2021 to work with the school for the second time, a fish habitat restoration project and long-term climate change monitoring project with our Environmental Water Program team had begun with Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation. These projects are part of the effort to restore a fishing lodge on Park Lake (locally known as Iatuepakau) into a 100% Innu-owned-and-operated adventure tourism and education facility.

Some of the students remembered ISWP’s first visit to the school because of the experience of going out on the ice! But once they found out that through Water First, I was connected to the Park Lake project, some of the students asked to join extra workshops to learn more. Interest was high because the staff at Park Lake are all members of the Innu community, and the youth wanted to hear about the things they were doing with Water First.

The most exciting part of ISWP’s second visit to the community was being joined by two high school students who were part of the Park Lake project with our Environmental Water Program.

Throughout the summer, the two students had been training to become junior guides or interns. They were proud to show their younger peers some of the water sciences tools they had learned to use over the summer months.

We were so encouraged by this because the goal of our school programming is to inspire youth to take an interest in water science and get involved in available training, like these two young men.

The Indigenous Schools Water Program (ISWP) is designed to be flexible, which allows our workshops to connect and relate to the local geography, context and needs.

One way we do this is to invite guest speakers from the community to join: those that work in environmental or water-related fields, water treatment plant operators, fishermen, water walkers or respected community members that may be recommended by our collaborative community partners on the ground.

These guest speakers provide their experience and knowledge of the local community. We can then connect this to the watershed context that we teach the students. Often, they will teach the students and us about the observed changes in water levels or fish populations. Sometimes, they perform relevant cultural ceremonies. Any knowledge they share makes the learning more meaningful for the students and for us as instructors.

To strengthen the connection across our programs, we invite Interns or Alumni from other Water First programs to be our guest speakers at the school when possible. For example, in Sheshatshiu, our colleague Ryan Osman, the Environmental Water Project Lead, helped organize three different guest speakers involved in the Environmental Project so far: Napess Ashini, a knowledge keeper, Ian Rich, the local water treatment plant operator, and Seth Hurley, a Water First Intern.

Napass Ashini came to speak on the first day of programming. He brought important local Innu history and ways of knowing that helped frame the whole week of learning at the school.

Seth spoke with three different groups of students throughout the week. Many of the students recognized him from around the community. Because of that familiarity, both Seth and the students felt at ease and eager to share and learn. He showed the students some technology that he had learned to use during Water First training on the fish habitat and climate change projects, and the students had an opportunity to use those tools themselves.

This strong connection between the Environmental Water Program and the ISWP workshops amplifies the meaningfulness of our work with communities. This is the type of local connection we are always striving for.

When youth can see members of their own community taking an interest and working for the health of the water, it inspires them.

We have seen it in the past, and it was very evident in Sheshatshiu this November. Holding on to this success, we press on to continually inspire young minds to pursue an interest in water science as it is so important to the world and, more importantly, their community!

To learn more about Water First’s Indigenous Schools Water Program, click here.

Delivering Upstream: A Sibling of the Internship

November 17th, 2021

The Indigenous Schools Water Program (ISWP) delivers workshops and hands-on STEM experiences for school-aged youth to learn about their local watersheds and the factors that contribute to a healthy ecosystem. We have the honour of conducting these workshops in all of the communities involved in the Drinking Water Internship. We wanted to share with you how excited and engaged the students are when they are out on the land, using scientific tools and instruments and working together to translate numbers and data into discoveries about their own communities.

During 2018, ISWP visited every school on Manitoulin Island in connection to the Mnidoo Mnising Tribal Council Partnership. Currently, we have that opportunity in connection with the Internship Program with the Bimose Tribal Council Partnership. Our first workshop series coincided with the Internship graduation ceremony in the first week of October. We wanted to be there sooner, but COVID restrictions delayed us. Let me tell you, to be there in person was well worth the wait!

We were invited to Gaagagekiizik School (or Kiizhik for short) in Kenora to deliver workshops at the school in person. They suggested that all programming be delivered outside. This was an exciting challenge for us, because we have many workshops that we had only delivered indoors for convenience. Since Kenora is further North than our office, we packed our toques in anticipation of being outside all day in colder weather. To our delight, the toques were not needed as we faced 20°C, or warmer, every day, making our time outside even more memorable.

Students created miniature spawning shoals and played a game of trying to catch or eat eggs that had been placed in the miniature models in 30 seconds. The group that caught the least were the most successful in creating a safe habitat for the eggs.

Our outdoor classroom locations were straight from The Group of Seven paintings. If you’re not familiar with the Group of Seven, picture stunning landscapes surrounded by raw rock faces and windswept trees. It was a breath of fresh air for the students and for us as we learned about the watershed while sitting in the watershed itself.

We were blessed with a local water body called Rabbit Lake that was close enough to the school that we could walk. The gym teacher told us he takes students there often, so we took guidance from him. We set a timer to challenge each class to make it to the lake within 10 minutes, and all students were on board with this mission. All four classes we took to the water made it in record time.

Imagine taking a group of 15-20 students to walk through the woods to the lake to learn about water and land. Getting out on the land with the students is one of the highlights of the program. The walk helped us all appreciate the land more and engage our learning with all of our senses. Being outside also connects incredibly well to the Anishinaabemowin Language. As Water First staff, we have heard this from many community partners, but at Kiizhik School, we saw it in action. Thunder Bird, one of the culture and language teachers, joined us for every workshop during our week in Kenora. He was an amazing partner who took the time to teach not only the students, but also us, important words related to the work we were doing.

The whole gang heading to a local body of water to collect data.

As guests in a local school, ISWP likes to make sure we are respecting the local culture and practices. Sometimes this means joining in a morning assembly or smudge. Other times, we integrate cultural teachings of our own.

While we were in Kiizhik, it became clear to us that the staff and students respect the land and understand, both spiritually and mentally, that everything is connected. With this observation, we decided to bring some Semah, or tobacco, for the students to make an offering or say a prayer before we started our study on the water. This is not a practice all of the schools or communities we work with follow.

At Kiizhik, the staff was grateful to see an outside organization bring a meaningful cultural teaching to the classroom. One of the staff even took time to write their appreciation on paper for us.

During our week in Kiizhik School, it was amazing to see the teachers and students engage with the content even beyond our time with each class. The grade 3-4 teacher, Shea Cannon, asked us to come to her classroom at the end of the week to see the students’ work. Each had drawn a watershed of their own: a reflection of the workshop we did with them outside. The level of comprehension made us truly proud of the students and the work we did throughout the week. Below are some of our favourites. We are so grateful to Shea for sharing.

The entire staff at Kiizhik School was welcoming and genuinely interested in our programming. One of the high school teachers, Janae Grafham, provided lovely feedback saying, “This program was extremely valuable. All students were eager to learn and engaged in their learning. The students continued to talk about how exciting the activities were and how much they learned in the days following the activity. This hands-on opportunity was a highlight of our school year.” We are happy the students and staff liked having us because we feel the same way. We’re looking forward to our next opportunity to continue working with Kiizhik School, and all of the schools associated with the Bimose Water First Internship.

Learn more about Water First’s Indigenous Schools Water Program.

Outdoor Program Leads to Grade 9 Geography Credits

September 27th, 2021

What’s in Your Water on Manitoulin Island

July 27th, 2021

On a rainy week in May, students from the Zhiibaahaasing and Sheshegwaning First Nations saw their water in a new light.

We delivered our hands-on What’s in Your Water program to the students of St. Joseph’s Anishinabek School on Manitoulin Island. Over four days, students of all ages took part in STEM-based water science workshops designed to familiarize them with hydrology and watershed ecology, while further developing their relationship with water and their land.

“We did eight workshops, including an introduction to water filtration processes and a water treatment plant tour for the Grades 6-8 students,” said Adrianna Bilinski, Water First Indigenous School Engagement Coordinator.

These snapshots tell the story of the hands-on learning the students enjoyed and how they came to be informed and inspired advocates for their community’s watershed.

Setting the stage for learning about watersheds

“Typically, we have a PowerPoint presentation to accompany the in-class lesson, but there was no projector in the school,” said Adrianna.

“In some ways, the lesson turned out better with the chalkboard. We drew an outline of a watershed and students came up and filled in the elements. It was interactive and fun.”

Building a topographic model

Now that students had been introduced to what a watershed consists of, they built their own model. Consulting a topographic map on a computer, they used sand, twigs and moss to represent various elements of the watershed, including houses, roads and farms. They also added components that are sources of pollutants, such as the garbage dump, cars, a gas station and campsites.

When their topographic model was complete, a sheet of saran wrap and a thin layer of sand were placed on top. When water was gently poured over it, students could see how the water flows across the land—and where pollutants enter the water system.

Field trip day to Silver Creek

Education Manager Dillon Koopmans escorted students to Silver Creek, where they met Joe Shinos, one of the community speakers. He and his team were cleaning this stream of trash and natural debris to allow for a steadier flow of water. Students put on waders and helped out.

Testing raw water at Silver Creek

Students used a multiparameter reader to measure the conductivity and temperature of the water, as well as the total dissolved solids (TDS) in it.

Measurements like these reveal the general health of the water. Students learned why higher temperature, conductivity and TDS might mean there are too many metals, mercury, salt or foreign objects for a healthy watershed.

Logging data for future analysis

Recording results is an important part of data collection. Students received field workbooks to record their water quality results to bring back to class for analysis.

Testing for pH

A healthy stream has a pH between 6.5 and 8.5. Alkalinity is the ability of the stream to resist changes in pH. Using pH strips, students tested the water to measure the pH and alkalinity to see if it’s safe for fish.

“The analogy we use with kids is that alkalinity acts as a shield for the water. If it’s low, the water is at risk of a drastic pH change, which could cause fish populations to decrease. It’s an important thing to know about our water,” said Adrianna.

Catching microscopic critters

Another indicator of the health of a stream is the number and type of live microscopic creatures, called protozoa, that live in the water. Using a net, students brought in a number of living organisms to examine under a microscope on the shoreline.

Peering at larva under a microscope

A microscope was connected by Wifi to an iPad, so the students were able to get a close look at the critters they brought in. This group brought in mayfly larva, while another examined mosquito larva wiggling around a petri dish. Back in the classroom, younger grades examined an earthworm, ant, spider and beetle under their microscopes.

This is a lesson about bioindicators. For example, a dragonfly will only live in a clean water body area. So, if they are flitting around a stream, you know it’s clean. In comparison, a water beetle isn’t so picky. They can be found in very polluted water and survive.

Analyzing data back in the classroom

Using the data students collected in the field, Adrianna created a table to help the students analyze their findings. “The students looked at all the group measurements for the water and found the average of all results. We talked about whether those numbers were good or bad,” she said.

“For the most part, the water bodies we studied are healthy. This was an ‘aha’ moment for them because in prior lessons we discussed the ideal range for a healthy water body. They were then able to make the connection between the ideal range and their water.”

Water treatment tour

Dillon and Pat Cada, the Overall Water Treatment Operator at the local water treatment plant, showed the students the filter at the water treatment plant.

Inside the water treatment plant

Thanks to a connection with Water First intern alumni Alex Nahwegahbow, students were able to have a personalized tour of the water treatment plant. The students watched water go through the slow sand filter inside the plant. They also got to turn on the fire pump that sends water to fire hydrants – a cool experience for students to see the technical aspects of their daily life.

At the end of the week, students shared that the plant tour was their favourite part of the program. “Maybe it’s because they got to talk with the two community members who run the plant, see the different processes and where the water from their house comes from,” said Adrianna.

Collaboration Leads to Success

April 6th, 2021

Sagamok School and Water First Testing New Waters

The Water First Indigenous School Water Programs team works primarily in schools within Indigenous Communities. During lockdowns caused by COVID-19 we have been fortunate to have the opportunity to continue working with our community partners through a virtual water science program called “What’s in Your Water.” Funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation made this program come to life, but the driving current behind the program’s success is,of course, the excellent people we work with on the ground in each community. Without teachers, students and principals who are willing to host and help our staff the program could not succeed! A special thanks goes out to all the teachers and students out there willing to give us a chance through video chat workshops.

For a small glimpse into our work imagine the struggle of your everyday zoom calls at work or with family and friends. You may wonder to yourself are they really listening to you or are they distracted by something just off-camera? Now multiply that by a class full of eleven-year-olds. This is our experience with the grade 6 class at Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik School in Sagamok First Nation. Our programming with Sagamok this February has taught us a great deal about how important trust-building and meaningful relationships are to our program success.

Consider the classroom teacher; a trusted collaborator that believes in the value of our program. They manage the class in a way we can’t, hundreds of kilometres away. They are the fingers to our outstretched arms. To paint you a better picture, this is what a typical “instructional” portion of a virtual delivery might look like.

As you can imagine it is difficult for us on the other side of the computer screen to know how much the students are absorbing, so we rely on the classroom teacher to communicate the tone of the class to us.

Fast forward to the hands-on portion of our workshops. Even in the blistering winter “What’s in Your Water” participants enthusiastically apply their knowledge by building their own watershed in the snow, a leap from creating a paper version inside.

As exciting as these pictures look, the largest challenge for us at Water First was not being there in person to see the students applying the knowledge we shared. We relied completely on our teacher collaborators to take pictures in the field, and we learned second hand about the student successes. After creating their topographic watershed models in the snow Ms. L reported that “It was great to watch some of the students comparing the different maps they were provided with as they built their community in the snow. You could see them figuring out the meaning behind the different maps as they added to their own. They problem solved and that was great!” This of course is something we were used to seeing in person when we could visit each community, but it was a relief to us as instructors to know the lesson had not been lost.

The most exciting report we got back from Ms. L was after the students took a bus to their local lake, Lake LeCloche, and measured water quality parameters. She said that there were students correcting and helping one another, and they started asking her complex questions about their measurements that even she wasn’t prepared for. Ms. L explained to us that as the workshops went on, she could see the students getting more familiar with the tools. She could see the students becoming more efficient and independent using the water testing resources. Hearing this report proved that the students were interested in their water health, and knowing that they cared deeply about the connections to their land provided the assurance we needed as we continue to navigate the challenges of virtual program delivery.

Thank you to the Trillium Foundation for making it possible!

Improving with Experience and Collaboration

April 1st, 2021

Learning happens with experience. And applying what we have learned through our virtual delivery continues to strengthen our school-aged youth programming. Our program that teaches students about watersheds and the importance of source water protection, What’s in Your Water, was originally designed as a face-to-face workshop series. But with COVID restrictions, with the support of funders like the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we were able to adapt our programming to be delivered virtually.

We piloted the virtual delivery with Beausoleil First Nation and the Christian Island Elementary School in the fall. We learned a lot. So, we made a few changes.

Considering we are used to delivering our program face to face and leading the student group while in the room, it became clear very quickly that the strength of our program hinged on the adult in the room — the teacher.

When it came to sending the tool kit to Sagamok First Nation for our second virtual delivery, we included a few more tools to better support the teacher. Things like: prepackaged workbooks, a comprehensive video on how the experiments will run, and a microphone that allowed us to hear the students in the class — easing the pressure on the teacher to repeat everything that was going on. We coordinated, communicated, collaborated, and debriefed each session with the teacher. This strengthened the overall experience for the students and their learning.

As a part of the program, students take a field trip to a local source of water to take water samples. Of course, since we aren’t there, the teacher has to run the entire trip and coordinate the collection of water samples. An added element was that it was winter! In order to collect water samples, they had to cut a hole in the ice. Based on the stories shared from the trip and the photos, it looked like quite an experience. The teacher shared that as the workshops went on, she could see the students getting more familiar, efficient, and independent using the water testing resources.

Clearly, close collaboration with the teacher in the room is essential to a smooth and successful virtual delivery.

“I felt like our program was a huge success when in the very last workshop with Sagamok First Nation we did an impromptu water test of their school water. We watched through our screen as the students applied what they had learned and did the sampling themselves. Even when the teacher tried to help out the students were like — we got this.”

Adrianna Bilinski, ISWP instructor

Showcasing Learning and Connections Made

Measuring success in education programs is often through students showcasing what they have learned and if possible how the students apply this learning. This showcase needs to be flexible — particularly when it comes to virtual delivery — and can be formal or just through observation.

The students from Christian Island Elementary School created a presentation that summarized their learning throughout the program.

Dillon Koopmans, our Educational Programs Manager summed it up this way: “When the students did their presentation and shared their learning with us, it felt like the student-led reflection had a culminating effect. The students could reflect and clearly record what they had learned. We had accomplished true learning through virtual delivery in the times of COVID.”

Virtual Programs with Sagamok First Nation

February 8th, 2021

An update on the Indigenous Schools Water Program

Our team recently delivered our 2nd virtual program, this time to Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik School in Sagamok First Nation.

The What’s In Your Water program was built around a workshop that allows students to go to a local body of water and take measurements of multiple parameters, like pH, hardness, conductivity, and TDS (total dissolved solids).

In the Watershed Mysteries workshop, students take water quality parameters of 5 prepared water samples to determine which hypothetical watershed each sample comes from.

Thank you to Ms. Lefebvre for providing us with the beautiful photos!

For more information on our Indigenous Schools Water Program, click here!

Indigenous Schools Water Program

December 12th, 2020

Indigenous School Workshops Go Virtual

October 17th, 2020

This fall, due to COVID, we are offering remote programming for our Indigenous School Water Programs.

We will mail out comprehensive STEM-based water science learning resource kits for K-12 schools, including lesson plans. Water First will co-deliver the workshops via video conferencing with classes. And we will support school staff virtually on how to use these hands-on resources students.

We aim to have community speakers join us virtually as well, to integrate crucial local Indigenous knowledge and create connections between the content and the community.

Our programs will still include an important environmental conservation action component. We will work closely with groups of student scientists to complete a multi-workshop series. This series will ultimately provide them with the foundational knowledge and training to conduct a source water monitoring project on water bodies of the community’s choice. Students will also share messages about environmental conservation and sustainability to inform the community of their work and raise awareness.

Before being mailed out, all resource kits will be carefully prepared, while adhering to strict COVID appropriate sanitization and safety measures.

Click here to learn more about our Indigenous School Water Programs.

Indigenous Schools Water Program

January 30th, 2020

Empowering First Nations youth to develop a passion for water science

January 9th, 2020

Over the past number of months, Water First has been creating a new school-aged youth education pilot project, Growing Roots. Through this project, Water First is partnering with different communities to expand our youth water science education programming to maximize the involvement of Indigenous youth, leading to long-term environmental action and stewardship.

In early October, we convened The Indigenous Community and Youth Advisory Council, comprised of community elders, youth, educators, and lands and resources department staff. The conversations were rich in knowledge and recommendations moving forward.

Water First worked with Christian Island Elementary school to deliver both indoor and outdoor water science workshops to every class. Students engaged in STEM-based learning activities such as biodiversity while observing local aquatic wildlife and plants. Students developing a passion for water science will help to end the disparity of Indigenous representation in the STEM fields.

Click on the presentation below to see more about the pilot project.

The most exciting part of our visit was working with students to plan an environmental restoration or conservation action. The students are now taking what they have learned to develop a plan for watershed restoration/conservation action within their community.

Water First is launching our Growing Roots pilot in two other First Nations communities in Ontario and Manitoba in the spring of 2020, along with our second trip back to Chimnissing to support the students implementing their projects.

A Paws-itive Tree Plant at Wahgoshig First Nation

August 21st, 2019

Water First returned to Joseph H. Kennedy Public School in the summer of 2019 for more water science workshops and another watershed remediation project. However, when the students arrived at the chosen tree-planting location, the Water First truck was stuck on a muddy road somewhere else.

Without any tree planting supplies, everyone put their heads together to ensure the day would still go on. To keep the kids busy, an Elder from the community ran traditional activities with the students. Meanwhile, some of the staff began a rescue mission to retrieve the tree planting supplies. With the help of many community members, the tree planting supplies, truck and trailer were freed from the mud!

Despite having shovels, some of the students wanted to maximize the number of trees they planted by recruiting extra help: the neighbourhood dogs. The dogs dug holes on command and students planted the seedlings.

Altogether, a total of 800 trees were planted. The tree plant could not have been such a success without the problem solving and collaboration of everyone involved!

Quinte Mohawk students become water stewards

June 17th, 2019

This past May, students from Quinte Mohawk School became stewards of the water. Students from multiple grades learned how to analyze the water quality of their school’s onsite wetland with Water First staff. They also learned about the impact of human activity on the health of the water and the wildlife that live in and around it.

After the workshop, the students’ water quality data was added to an interactive map hosted by an organization called Water Rangers. You can see the students’ findings here.

After a few days of rain, the sky cleared on the final day for the tree planting. Despite some wet feet, students in the EarthCare Team planted approximately 300 trees in the community! They planted at the local sports complex, along a ditch, and at the school’s wetland. The trees will grow to provide shade for children at the park and reduce flooding at the edge of a field. The trees’ roots will also help to prevent erosion of soil into waterways.

Working with students from G Theberge School in Témiscaming, Québec

March 25th, 2019

Last week from March 19th-21st, Water First staff and our interns from Kebaowek First Nation visited G Theberge School in Témiscaming, Québec, to share the details from our recently completed fish habitat remediation project with students. Children and youth from Kebaowek First Nation are bused to this school, so it was great to share with them the positive work being completed in their community. .

We delivered hands-on water science workshops to students in every grade, thematically and conceptually linked to the recent fish habitat restoration completed in their community. Water First interns Kacey McLaren, McKaylii Jawbone, and Ivan Pulchinski assisted with the workshops and shared their experiences from the restoration project. Coming from the community, the interns serve as role models to the students. Representing a tangible and very real opportunity for all students within the environmental water field locally.

We would like to thank G Theburge School for being such wonderful hosts! Water First was delighted to share our passion for environmental stewardship with the staff and students.

Saugeen First Nation students find satisfaction in a project well done

March 24th, 2019

On a fall day in Saugeen First Nation, students were struggling with some more-challenging-than-usual planting conditions. After completing science workshops the day before at their school, these Grade 7 and 8 youth were excited to put their new knowledge to practice by planting a combination of 450 white spruce, white pine and white cedar trees at two sites near the Elders building and the Mino Bimaadsawim Health Centre.

The sites had been selected mutually by the community and Water First and were thought to be ideal. But when the shovels hit the dirt we quickly realized that we were going to be in for a challenge! With unexpectedly hard topsoil, the team’s productivity slowed down and fell far behind schedule. Luckily, students, teachers and community members persevered, and we were able to complete the work on our first location. Our second site, however, was a fifteen minute walk away and the clock was ticking.

Our plan for the second location was to plant a long white cedar hedge near a new residential development. We decided to try and complete the task despite the news that the school buses were already on their way to pick up the students.

Students planting trees in a row near a building.

Water First staff with a teacher from Saugeen First Nation.

We had only managed to plant about one third of the cedar saplings before the first bus arrived. A little dismayed, but still proud of their best efforts, we asked the youth to put down their shovels and convene for a short debrief. But a handful of motivated youth were determined to keep planting!

This group had shown particular skill and passion throughout the day, going so far as to naming their saplings and asking to plant more saplings. It was obvious that they were dedicated to finishing the project, so we let them continue to plant while speaking with the others. After the talk, students boarded the first bus and we waited on the second bus’ arrival.

As we waited, the determined youth continued planting. Others, who were at first sitting and watching, began to step in and help. After a short delay, the second bus arrived, but not before the final sapling of the cedar hedge was planted! It was clear, these youth were not completing the work to impress us. They saw the value in seeing a project finished, and found satisfaction in taking part in meaningful restoration action for their community.

We see examples like this across our work, and it reinforces the meaningfulness of our approach. Getting youth out on the land is essential to their understanding of the human impact on the environment and inspiring sustainable action.

Roots are claws that hold the earth in place

March 22nd, 2019

Waterside tree planting is important both to the local waterways and the people who live adjacent to them. Tree roots hold onto soil, preventing unnatural amounts of sand and dirt from entering the water systems, which can have a negative impact downstream and damage aquatic ecosystems. Trees provide organic material and habitats for animals, and their shade acts as a temperature monitor for aquatic wildlife.

Trees and other natural vegetation create a buffer between land use and natural habitats. They also benefit us by reducing the impact of flooding, a trend which is becoming more commonplace due to the pressures of climate change.

Riparian buffer zones — A cross-section of a stream and the adjacent riparian area. The sketch shows four zones and the vegetation associated with each. Moving from the water to the upland, the first zone is the aquatic zone and is populated with aquatic plants such as sedges and reeds. The next zone, Zone 1, is an undisturbed forest. Zone 2 is a managed forest of shrubs and trees and Zone 3 is a mix of grasses that help control runoff from neighbouring fields. (Image courtesy Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Water Tree at Matachewan First Nation

February 8th, 2019

This past October, Water First collaborated with Matachewan First Nation to deliver a series of educational workshops at the local school and a tree-planting field trip in the community.

Students in the Indigenous program at Kirkland Lake District Composite school joined those from the First Nation to plant pine and cedar seedlings in a community garden, as well as a cedar hedge on the shore of Turtle Lake to reduce erosion into the water. Before the kids began their tree-planting, an Elder performed a smudging ceremony and gave a short teaching about the history of the area’s local plants and vegetation.

Water First has worked previously with Matachewan First Nation to restore a traditional walleye spawning shoal in Beaver Lake. After the shoal was successfully rebuilt, signs were installed to both acknowledge the funding for the project as well as to provide facts about walleye, how to tell if a fish is male or female, and the impact of over fishing during spawning time. Leveraging the opportunity created by the fish facts sign, the community created an educational walking trail nearby with signs providing information about the boreal forest and native plants & animals.

Science Literacy Week 2018

September 24th, 2018

As part of Science Literacy Week 2018 and funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) PromoScience grant, Water First collaborated with Saugeen First Nation to host Water Science Days — Watershed Restoration.

This two-day event was held at G C Huston Public School, where on day one we delivered several water science workshops to multiple grades in the school. On the second day, the Grade 7/8 class planted 120 seedlings of white pine, white cedar and white spruce around the perimeter of a field adjacent to the Mino Bimaadsawin Health Centre and the Elder’s Building. In addition, 40 white cedar were planted along a berm adjacent to the community’s Six Plex. The students had a great time and Water First staff came away feeling thankful for the opportunity to be involved in this amazing educational event!

Hands on Water Science Days 2018

June 25th, 2018

Water First visited Kikendaasogamig /Cape Croker Elementary School and the Chippewas of Nawash community for two days of Hands on Water Science Days in May, courtesy of NSERC Science Odyssey Days 2018.

Students spent a fun, interactive first day with four in-class water science workshops learning about the effects of pollution in their watershed and examined freshwater insects under the microscope. Primary students were able to participate in a colourful, interactive storytelling workshop about water pollution and fish. We also flew a drone to survey the school area and neighbourhood to identify sources of pollution.

On Day 2, students, teachers, workshop instructors and an indigenous local elder travelled by bus to Cape Croker Park in Sydney Bay for an exciting outdoor water science exploration, applying what they learned the previous day. After a short hike to a wetland area with water testing equipment, bug nets and identification cards, students took water samples to check water quality and searched for a variety of fresh water bugs and wildlife. The local elder shared traditional indigenous knowledge of the area, water and wildlife.

It was an exciting two days of interactive water sciences learning. The students, teachers, and administration of Kikendaasogamig School warmly and enthusiastically welcomed Water First staff, which made the event a memorable one.

Minister’s Annual Report on Drinking Water 2017

April 25th, 2018

At the end of last year, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change published it’s annual report that provides an overview of the work Ontario is doing to protect drinking water.

Through the Ontario Community Environment Fund, Water First has received grants to help improve drinking water in nine Ontario First Nation communities by involving local youth in water-science workshops, tree planting and stream restoration activities in the Central Abitibi, Goulais, Little Pic, Montreal, Spanish, Sydenham, Upper Groundhog and Whitefish watersheds.

You can read the full report online here.

Schools Program

We're still processing our awesome adventure in Alberta around World Water Day. 😮‍💨

On March 22, Water First asks us to reflect on the safety of a resource many of us take for granted

Lasting results begin with strong relationships

2023 Annual Report

“For Water First, the most successful projects springboard into enhanced partnerships and deeper relationships. There’s no better feeling than getting invited back to collaborate on a new project.”

With every collaboration Water First embarks on, we strive to first understand what the community wishes for the long term, and then offer support that leverages our technical expertise.

Sheshegwaning First Nation

Saugeen Ojibway Nation

To read more stories like this, check out our

2023 Annual Report

Listening and adapting to community needs

2023 Annual Report

“It was humbling to begin the week beside the water, being welcomed by Kookum Shirley’s Thanks Giving Prayer and student-sung honour song. It brought a clear focus to the rest of the week and a shared goal between us and the students for the rest of the program.”

Adapting to the unique needs and priorities of each community we partner with is a hallmark of Water First’s approach.

To read more stories like this, check out our

2023 Annual Report

Nurturing connections between interns, peers, and communities

2023 Annual Report

“When interns become alumni, they will continue to have the support of the Water First staff. But they also leave with an entire cohort of supporters. No matter where they end up post-internship, they will always have the connections that they built through their fifteen months together.”

To read more stories like this, check out our

2023 Annual Report

Quarterly Newsletter

Schools Program

Contents:

Graduation Day! 🎓

Celebrating the next generation of Indigenous water treatment plant operators

Up and Running 🏃🏽‍♂️

Our 5th Internship Program is well underway

Save the date: November 30th! 🗓

Get ready for our next virtual event

Summer Success Stories ☀️

Earning high school credits through experiential learning

Meet Aiden 👋🏼

Better Together 🌊

Deeper relationships lead to greater impact

Park Lake, Labrador 🎣

Restoration for the future

Charity Intelligence ⭐️

Water First Gets 5 Stars

Fall greetings from Water First!

Language and the Land

Community Resources and Sustainability

Treaties, Land Claims

Streams

Educational Sweat Lodge

The World of Water Treatment

Microplastics

Food Sustainability

Crafts and Culture

Celebration

Summer Learning: Keeping Students Engaged and Connected With Their Education

Indigenous Schools Water Program | Fall 2023

My name is Caleb Girard, and this past summer I worked with the Water First team delivering the 2023 Summer Credit Program. I’ve had some time to reflect on my experiences and I’d love to share them with you here.

1️⃣

Beausoleil First Nation

2️⃣

Saugeen First Nation & Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation

3️⃣

Sheshegwaning First Nation

An evolution of partnership and learning with Beausoleil First Nation

By Adrianna Bilinski, Program Manager, Indigenous School Engagement

Written by Adrianna Bilinski, Program Manager

The original plan was for students to visit Fort La Cloche – just a short drive away – to see what Fabian and Max were working on to support the health of local walleye populations, and to visit the local water treatment plant to learn from the people who keep the water safe and clean.

The wildfires put a twist into our plans for the week, and I quickly understood that’s just the reality of this kind of work. When you’re working in the field, Mother Nature will do her thing, or other challenges will arise that mean you have to change priorities or adapt plans.

Written by: Adrianna Bilinski, Indigenous School Engagement Manager at Water First.

Kangirsuk

Kujjjuaq

Hands-on learning to foster a passion for water science

Indigenous Schools Water Program | Winter 2023

Inspiring future water scientists with hands-on learning

Connecting students with local water operators

Water- and fish-themed programming in the Northwest Territories

Sunny days and fun water-science learning in Nunavik

Summer Credit Programs integrate experiential learning and Indigenous culture

When Indigenous youth succeed, whole communities benefit

On the horizon for 2023

In late August 2022, Water First’s Schools Program team wrapped up its second year of delivering the Summer Credit Program.

Why is it important for Water First to deliver experiential high school programs like these?

The Summer Credit Program at Cape Croker Park

“It was humbling to begin the week beside the water, being welcomed by Kookum Shirley’s Thanks Giving Prayer and student-sung honour song.

It brought a clear focus to the rest of the week and a shared goal between us and the students for the rest of the program.”

An evolution of partnership and learning
with Beausoleil First Nation

Hands-on learning to foster a
passion for water science

Fueling Inspiration in Indigenous Youth Through Interconnected Programming