An Aboriginal storytelling carnival held at the North Battleford Public Library on Feb. 5 was a great success, organizers said.

About 250 people attended the activities, which included storytelling, sleigh rides and Aboriginal games. Participants were also treated to traditional Aboriginal food, like buffalo jerky and toasted bannock.

Rose and Lester Favel read from books and did puppet shows while Beth Cuthand told stories in the lecture theatre before a crowd of about 200 people. Participants warmed their hands over fires in barrels along the walkway behind the library.

The Saskatchewan Literacy Commission now has an advisory board in place to help develop a literacy strategy for the province.

The commission was created in September 2005 as part of the SaskSmart-Literacy for Life Initiative that will work to provide everyone in Saskatchewan with basic literacy and essential skills in English, math, science and technology.

People from across the province involved in promoting literacy among Aboriginal people are invited to take part in Nikanihk Mesa Kanahkewina: Pathways to the Future, the second Saskatchewan Aboriginal literacy gathering taking place at Wanuskewin Heritage Park and at the Hilton Garden Inn in Saskatoon from May 9 to 11.

The gathering is being co-ordinated by the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Literacy Network Inc. (SALN), an organization that grew out of the proceedings of the first Saskatchewan Aboriginal literacy gathering held in May 2002.

If you know an outstanding young Aboriginal person between the ages of 13 and 19, the organizers of this year's SaskTel Aboriginal Youth Awards of Excellence would like to hear from you.

Each year the awards recognize and celebrate the achievements of young people in 10 categories-leadership, education, community service, culture, sports, recreation, fine arts/performing arts, technology/science, spirit and outstanding achievement. This year's awards will be handed out in Saskatoon on May 5.

If you know an outstanding young Aboriginal person between the ages of 13 and 19, the organizers of this year's SaskTel Aboriginal Youth Awards of Excellence would like to hear from you.

Each year the awards recognize and celebrate the achievements of young people in 10 categories-leadership, education, community service, culture, sports, recreation, fine arts/performing arts, technology/science, spirit and outstanding achievement. This year's awards will be handed out in Saskatoon on May 5.

On-reserve child and family service agencies operating across Saskatchewan will soon be able to network with each other and have access to the same programming and resources once a planned Saskatchewan First Nations Family and Community Institute is up and running.

The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS) is looking for First Nations youth from across the country to get involved in Caring Across the Boundaries: Youth Focus, a two-day workshop designed to help create understanding and co-operation between youth and the volunteer sector organizations that are there to serve them.

Balancing the Circle Through Traditional and Western Ways is the theme of the fourth annual Aboriginal Gathering on Diabetes to be held in Prince Albert on April 6.

People living with diabetes or anyone wanting to know more about diabetes are encouraged to attend the event.

There were more than a few changes to Premier Lorne Calvert's cabinet on Feb. 3, with many MLAs taking on new jobs and creation of a new department of Advanced Education and Employment.

Pat Atkinson, MLA for Saskatoon Nutana, will be heading up the new department, as well as continuing duties as minister responsible for Immigration and minister responsible for the Public Service Commission.

The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards gala was held in Vancouver on Jan. 27 and many performers in the stage show are very familiar to the Native community on the Prairies.