The Déh Gah School in Fort Providence has received a $10,000 Literacy Fund grant from the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation.
The grant is given to support underfunded elementary schools across the country to ensure that students had books in school and at home.
Rose Lipton, Executive Director at the Foundation says the intergenerational trauma from residential schools in Fort Providence has led to generational challenges with literacy.
“The school has seen 3 new principals in the last 3 years so some parents in the community have taken it upon themselves to run an after-school literacy program out of concern for the low literacy levels in the student population,” she adds.
Lipton says a recent, public forum hosted by the school’s principal was targeted at addressing the literacy concerns and future education goals, which drew significant support from the community.
“With grant funding, the school will be able to provide students with the learning resources they need to further their education,” she adds.
Lipton says the Foundation provided more than $1 million to 30 high-needs elementary schools across Canada as students were challenged by lockdowns and many shifted to virtual learning, limiting their access to books.
“We are so inspired by the resiliency and commitment to literacy from these schools and students, despite the barriers of the pandemic,” she adds.
