Tiny campus has great programs

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Fort Chipewyan's Keyano College turned out 14 graduates this spring from the Adult Basic Education and College Preparation Programs.

The tiny campus, located in the Fort Chip civic centre, also offers trades training and some early childhood programs and is beginning to offer computer training, said Keyano's Public Relations Officer Val Mellesmoen.

The school is also moving towards more community programming, offering non-credit courses including gardening, crafts, hunting and cooking to the hamlet of 900 people.

At Keyano's main campus in Fort McMurray, a record of 310 students, about 10 per cent of them Aboriginal, graduated from various certificate and diploma courses.

This year's convocation celebrated the International Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples. Marlene L'Hirondelle, a teacher aide for the college's Conklin Training Centre, sang O'Canada in Cree and Native performer Dale Awasis, from Fort McKay, performed a spiritual honors song.

Guest speaker was Maggie Hodgson, executive director of the Edmonton-based Nechi Institute on Alcohol and Drug Education. Hodgson was involved with the creation of the college's Native Addictions Worker Certificate program, offered in conjunction with Nechi. The program allows Nechi graduates to work towards a college certificate.