Saskatoon school gets $15k to expand Indigenous instruction through nutrition program

A Saskatoon high school is one of 10 schools across the province awarded $15,000 to develop nutrition programs.

The money comes from the annual Mosaic School Nutrition Challenge.

Bishop Murray's principal, Cheryl Fenrich said they will be using the money to create a gathering space that combines nutrition and Indigenous traditions.

“It provides us with a cultural land-based teaching element to our school program. We will invite elders, knowledge keepers, to share traditional teachings on the growing harvesting and processing of food,” Fenrich told CTV News.

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“We wanted to acknowledge our Indigenous students and incorporate cultural teachings into their daily experiences. And we want to educate all our students on the importance of Indigenous culture and ways of knowing,” she said. “It will provide a connection to our students with the food they grow and the land they live on.”

The school has 130 students, and the additional programs that will benefit from the space include the Opening Doors program, the Core neighbourhood Youth Club, and the Farm School, all of which have 20 students, Fenrich said.

“What we felt is that when people are cooking and eating together, barriers are broken, and people tend to open up in conversation. And this actually lends itself to building relationships.”

The Mosaic School Nutrition Challenge has reached 103 Saskatchewan schools to date, according to a Saskatchewan School Boards Association news release.