Students help revitalize Haines Junction river trail

HAINES JUNCTION – This summer, tourists and Yukoners will have the opportunity to rediscover the Dezadeash River walking trail in Haines Junction, thanks to a class of seven Yukon College students.

The Natural and Cultural Interpretation Essential Skills students at the Haines Junction college campus hiked the six kilometer looping river trail in February. The class then set to work researching and writing topics for a new brochure that will provide information on natural and cultural highlights as walkers enjoy the two-to-three hour self-guided tour.

“The program has been eye-opening. Learning so much about the surrounding area has given me a whole different outlook on the village,” said Marlin Charlie, a Vuntut Gwitchin citizen who has lived in Haines Junction for the past four years.

Instructor Brent Liddle is the former Chief Interpreter at Kluane National Park and one of the original proponents of the Dezadeash River Trail.

“Interpreting is essentially storytelling and engaging people in the immediate environment. Many people don’t realise how many amazing learning opportunities are right on their doorstep,” said Liddle. “The year-round river trail is a way to introduce the students to the fundamental questions applicable to any tourism project: what is the story you are telling? What is the lasting impression you want people to leave with?”

The 15-week program, which included southern tutchone language lessons and classes in public speaking, also attracted two students from Whitehorse.

Kalseylee Mazur-Columberg’s desire to improve her public speaking skills led her to the program, but she enjoyed the language classes most of all. Kathyleen Darbyshire worked at the Da Ku Cultural centre in Haines junction last summer and also took the program to improve her public speaking and presentation abilities.

“I enjoyed the way the class came together to share our traditional knowledge, a lot of which I learned from my grandparents, and work out ways to share it with others,” said Darbyshire.

“This program is in direct response to a request from Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. They wanted to ensure there were opportunities for people to gain the skills required to participate in the tourism industry,” said Patty Moore, the coordinator for the Yukon College Haines Junction campus.

Prior to completing the program in May, the seven students will next undergo a two week work placement at Da Ku Cultural Centre, with the possibility of jobs there for some of the students this summer.

The Natural and Cultural Interpretation Essential Skills program is one of the Northern Adult Basic Education (NABE) projects delivered by nine Yukon College community campuses since last September. Over 70 students have tackled programs as diverse as outdoor engine and equipment repair, housing trades, food prep and GED upgrading.

The Dezadeash River Trail was created in 1991 through a partnership between the Village of Haines Junction, Parks Canada and Ducks Unlimited.

-30-

The seven students are: Kalseylee Mazur-Columberg, Marlin Charlie, Suzanne Hume, John Fingland, Kathryn Baker, Kathyleen Darbyshire, Rebecca Palahicky.

Northern Adult Basic Education Program: The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) is investing over $4.2 million over four years to enhance adult basic education programming in the Yukon. The program will be delivered by Yukon College.

Yukon College will work in partnership with relevant stakeholders in the Yukon including First Nation governments, the local French association, literacy service providers, and employers to introduce programming and build capacity that will significantly improve the literacy and employability skills of Yukoners.

With a strong emphasis on rural programming, each of the projects is designed to uniquely respond to the social and economic realities of the region in which it takes place.

For more information, contact:

Michael Vernon
Communications Coordinator
College Relations
Yukon College
867.668.8786
867.332.4722
mvernon@yukoncollege.yk.ca

Jacqueline Bedard
Director
College Relations
Yukon College
867.456.8619
jbedard@yukoncollege.yk.ca