22 high school students from some remote locations in Northern Saskatchewan are on quite the field trip.
They are in Regina for two days to learn about post-secondary education, careers, and how the government works.
Corrine Favel is a guidance counselor at the Cumberland House school.
She is learning as much as the five students she brought along.
Favel says this is the first time she got a chance to see the First Nations University, or to sleep in a dorm room at the University of Regina.
“ I tell them,this could be possible for you, you can see yourself doing this, but you have to stay in school, because you know I teach about careers to the high school kids and I always emphasize, you have to stay in school. They hear that from me almost every week.”
Andrew Natamagan is a grade nine student at Pinehouse Lake.
This is his first trip to Regina.
He was impressed by the RCMP training academy and he really liked what he saw at the first nations university.
“It is pretty impressive, actually going to the First Nations University. It got me thinking, I should go there.
This is the fourth year for the youth mentorship program.
Gwen Jacobson is one of the coordinators. She says it is about changing attitudes and opening doors for students.
“There are seven different schools this year, so that’s a teacher from each school that can tell the other teachers. So we are hoping that it spreads and the program continues and is a little larger next year.”
Today, the 22 students toured the legislative building.
They also met their local MLA’S and got to watch the daily question period in the legislation.
Tomorrow, it’s back on the road for a long bus ride home.
Students come from a half a dozen northern communities and First Nations, including La Ronge, Stanley Mission, Buffalo Narrows, Pine House Lake, Montreal Lake and Cumberland House.