Over the last ten months, twelve students from Fisher River Cree Nation (FRCN) have been attending a College Transition program – created in collaboration with RRC Polytech and the Fisher River Education Authority (FREA), where they have been learning how to prepare for post-secondary education or a full-time job.
The program began in FRCN, with eight courses – including Essential College Communication Skills – for students to become accustomed to the academic environment. The courses in FRCN were delivered by the FREA and taught by a local instructor and incorporated life skills and cultural content. For the final two courses, students finished their studies on-campus in Winnipeg and had the opportunity to build their skills in navigating a large urban centre in addition to their regular course work.
Faith Beardy, one of the students in the program, graduated from high school in 2021 and went directly into a bachelor’s degree at a university the fall of that year. Beardy found herself unprepared – the rigor of post-secondary compared to high school overwhelmed her to the point of giving up and dropping out. The pandemic greatly impacted her high school experience, so she was unaccustomed to exams, tight deadlines and the amount of content condensed into the shorter timeframe.
When she heard about the College Transition program, Beardy was drawn to the emphasis of support and preparation before taking the dive into post-secondary education. Beardy told herself it was worth it to try again with a program that would walk with her at the pace she needed, to learn about herself and learn about her own needs. When she started with College Transition, she says almost immediately she felt a sense of growth and a boost of confidence.
“The more confidence I have, it helps me to be a better student. I really love school now, I love going and learning. Even if I didn’t understand something, I asked questions. College Transition — words can’t describe it. It’s just not just academics — you connect with your peers, your instructors, your community and you grow together.”
Armed with the skills and confidence she gained at the College Transition program, Beardy plans to return to university in fall 2023 to pursue a bachelor’s degree with a major in Indigenous Studies and a minor in English. When she completes university, Beardy says she wants to live in Fisher River Cree Nation and teach elementary or middle school learners.
“I’ve always wanted to help people, but I didn’t know what to do. I want to help kids be their authentic selves and guide them in the direction they want to go in life — I want to be a good role model for my students.”
Mitchell Wilson joined the College Transition program as a stepping stone towards RRC Polytech’s Intro to Trades program. He had looked into applying directly to an electrician certificate program, but the complicated process was too overwhelming to parse through on his own. The College Transition program helped him gain the confidence he needs to enter the trades.
Right out of high school, Wilson felt a sense of urgency to know what to do in the next stage of his life. Where he once knew the procedures to progress in school, the unstructured freedom felt more like a directionless vacuum. Urgency turned to panic as time marched on without a plan. Wilson sought comfort with his family, who encouraged him to go back to school and helped motivate him to pick himself back up.
“For me, I finally grew into being independent. I learned to push myself and work hard. I’m excited to meet new people once I go into Intro to Trades,” said Wilson.
Taking College Transition in community and close to family helped Wilson manage his priorities and contemplate his goals. Wilson says he’s glad he took College Transition to prepare him for the inner motivation required to take on new journeys and the discipline needed to stick with those journeys.
For now, Wilson is looking forward to spending time at home with his family before coming back to RRC Polytech in the fall to begin Intro to Trades.
Nancy Harasemiw was the instructor while the students learned in FRCN, and said there is no better feeling than watching students learn and grow.
“I have been doing this for many years and I tell you it is so rewarding and I always feel a sense of pride when I can see their growth in maturity as a young person and their accomplishments in their academics. I am very thankful that our community of Fisher River Cree Nation Education invests in the Grade 12 graduates and offers this program to them before they begin their future post secondary studies in the fall,” she said.
Learn more about the College Transition program and other programs RRC Polytech has to offer, here.
College Transition program instills confidence; prepares Fisher River Cree Nation students for successful future in post-secondary
