Sand Point Students Take the Lead Honoring Indigenous Legend
“The things that we do on land affect the things that live in the water.” This poignant message was the underlying thread of hope presented by the youth of Sand Point Elementary at their production of “Salmon Boy.”
On June 3 in the auditorium of Eckstein Middle School, the culminative culminating work of the full Sand Point Elementary school body was on display during a night of singing, dancing and storytelling to bring the legend of the “Salmon Boy” to life.
The parable tells the tale of a strong-willed, young boy who is transformed into a salmon and through his experience, learns respect for the salmon, the need for stewardship of nature and all that resides within it. In …show more content…
In the fall of 2017, teaching artist Fern Renville lead the Sand Point school community by sharing the Indigenous Knowledge, told since time immemorial, of “Salmon Boy” in the Huchoosedah after after-school program. The learning wave spread across the school, integrating into teachers’ curriculum until all Sand Point students knew the lesson.
Renville says of her teaching experience, " To witness an entire elementary school become fluent in a foundational story of Coast Salish culture and show respect for the teachings of the Salmon People is to witness a tectonic cultural shift towards an understanding of Native people and sovereignty as contemporary, intersectional, and vital to an American education; this gives me such faith!”
Through a schoolwide integration of the Native story of “Salmon Boy,” Sand Point students worked collaboratively across grade levels and were given space to shape the show in their vision. 2nd Second-grade student Jonah reflected on his participation, “I learned that not one person can do whatever they want. We have to work
“The things that we do on land affect the things that live in the water.” This poignant message was the underlying thread of hope presented by the youth of Sand Point Elementary at their production of “Salmon Boy.”
On June 3 in the auditorium of Eckstein Middle School, the culminative culminating work of the full Sand Point Elementary school body was on display during a night of singing, dancing and storytelling to bring the legend of the “Salmon Boy” to life.
The parable tells the tale of a strong-willed, young boy who is transformed into a salmon and through his experience, learns respect for the salmon, the need for stewardship of nature and all that resides within it. In …show more content…
In the fall of 2017, teaching artist Fern Renville lead the Sand Point school community by sharing the Indigenous Knowledge, told since time immemorial, of “Salmon Boy” in the Huchoosedah after after-school program. The learning wave spread across the school, integrating into teachers’ curriculum until all Sand Point students knew the lesson.
Renville says of her teaching experience, " To witness an entire elementary school become fluent in a foundational story of Coast Salish culture and show respect for the teachings of the Salmon People is to witness a tectonic cultural shift towards an understanding of Native people and sovereignty as contemporary, intersectional, and vital to an American education; this gives me such faith!”
Through a schoolwide integration of the Native story of “Salmon Boy,” Sand Point students worked collaboratively across grade levels and were given space to shape the show in their vision. 2nd Second-grade student Jonah reflected on his participation, “I learned that not one person can do whatever they want. We have to work