Welcome to senior high school – Jasper Grade 10 students attended a week long stewardship program at the Palisades Learning Centre last week to get the 2009/10 school year rolling.

James Bartram, stewardship education project lead, was quick to point out the contrast between their first week as senior school students, and the media reports of hazing incidents involving Grade 10 students in other areas.

Around 46 kids attended the annual four day retreat where they rock climbed, canoed, and even had the chance to hang out with some prominent community members.

On hand to answer questions from students were Jasper Mayor, Richard Ireland, Jasper National Park Superintendent, Greg Fenton and other selected community
members, such as Sue Cesco, the general manager of Friends of Jasper National Park, Pam Trosanenko from Jasper Tourism and Commerce and Brad Young from the Foothills Research Institute.

Bartram said the activity was a great opportunity for the kids to see the variety of responses given by each member of the community.

As well as connecting with prominent individuals from the community, the week aimed to create a cohesive group of students entering senior high school, explained Bartram.

For him, the week is just as much about team building and communication skills as it is about connecting the teenagers with Parks Canada’s environmental stewardship values.

The kids also had the opportunity to see the new learning stations that are being built by the Parks Canada trail crew throughout the summer.

In order to give the stations a traditional feel, all the wood will remain untreated so it can weather over time and look like a natural part of the landscape.

The stations are expected to be completed in the next six weeks.