b'Languageis AliveThe Indigenous language program was introduced to Louis Riel School Division classrooms during the2016 school year, starting with one language speaker in four classrooms. In the 2017-2018 school year,Hilda Kent and Linda Allen joined the team and brought the Ojibwe program to 33 Kindergarten and nine Grade 1 classes. Now there are eight women on the Indigenous Language team and each program is in 25 out of the 30 elementary schools in 50 Kindergarten and 65 Grade 1/2 classes. Each person on the team teaches around 18 classes.Kelsey Lenaghan, Ojibwe Teacher and ProgramAs a small child, seeing my family talk and not Developer, joined the team in 2018.being able to understand created a desire of wanting to know, she said. Seeing the job posting I didnt grow up speaking the language, saidto teach the language was a dream. It is healing Kelsey. My mom would say to my sisters and I,knowing my mom and granny couldnt speak the Why would I teach you a language I was punishedlanguage and I get to bring it full circle.for speaking. So, we grew up speaking English. For most of the women on the Indigenous Kelsey started her language learning journey eightLanguage team it has been an opportunity for years ago.them to learn more of the language as they teach. 34'