Nakoda Elementary School is home to a large and beautiful school garden. The garden features a prominent ground-level medicine wheel outlined with repurposed tires, where native bushes are growing. Beside it, there are nine raised garden beds arranged in a circular, medicine wheel-inspired layout, honoring Indigenous knowledge and symbolizing balance and interconnectedness.
The garden also includes a washing station and a set of rain barrels, supporting regenerative practices and experiential learning.
Similar to the Chief Jacob Bearspaw School garden, two local youth are hired over the summer to care for the garden under the Eco-Guardians Youth Training and Mentorship program. This ensures the garden is well maintained during the summer break and, come fall, students return to a thriving space where they can harvest fresh, locally grown food. Even more meaningfully, they can share this harvest not only with their classmates, but also with Elders and community members.
Testimonial
Nathan Court
Having Eco-Guardians care for our garden over the summer makes a real difference for Nakoda Elementary School. Their work keeps the garden growing while students and staff are away, so teachers can build on it when school resumes. Just as valuable, the program gives young people hands-on training and mentorship as they care for a space our whole school community can enjoy. We appreciate the care and pride they bring to the garden.
Nathan Court
Principal, Nakoda Elementary School
Nakoda Elementary’s School Garden
The Eco Guardians Youth Training program, and the contributions of the students enrolled in the program has been vital to the care and maintenance of Nakoda Elementary’s School Garden. The stewardship of its members allowed the garden to thrive during summer months, and for our gardening program to be expanded through essential landscaping and infrastructure. Because of the yard maintenance and watering, opportunities for harvesting can be implemented into our fall season land based curriculum- teaching plant life cycles, self sustainability, and food literacy. Eco Guardians fostered new relationships between our NES community, the MTCS community, and continued to create connections with the community outside the school setting. Not only this, but the Eco Guardians have been amazing role models for our young Kindergarten students who watch them work in the garden everyday; inspiring little inquiring minds to ask questions and investigate the school gardens, and aspire to make contributions themselves. We are immensely grateful here at NES for the Eco guardians, myself especially. The condition, cleanliness, and growth in the yard can be attributed to the success of this program. We hope to be able to continue working with Eco Guardians in the future!
Îsnîyes
Robin Paul
K5 EC3 Homeroom Teacher
Nakoda Elementary School
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