Lending a Hand

Rhonda Klippenstein has an office in building F at the Notre Dame campus of Red River College. It's located inside the Aboriginal Support Centre on the second floor.

There is a drop in centre right next to her office.

Next door, a little ways down the hallway there is a computer room where Aboriginal students can get together.

These are just some of the tools being used to help Aboriginal students become successful at the college.

"It's really a team effort. We all work on different aspects of a bigger picture.".

Klippenstein is Metis. She's been working at the college for the last twelve years. Over that time her job has evolved.

Now she is helping Aboriginal students with financial problems.

"People think an Aboriginal student can just walk in and get free school."

Klippenstein says this is not the case.

" Many bands have a limited education fund. It's kind of first come first serve. They get to choose who to sponsor and who gets to come to school."

"The amount is not generous. It hasn't changed in twenty or thirty years. So what they were given that many years ago, is what they are getting now. Of course there have been tuition hikes and cost of living has gone up as well."

The extra money she helps the students get often shows up on the dinner table.

"We like to say it's the difference between having baloney or chicken for supper."

A lot of the Aboriginal students at the college aren't aware of all the awards, bursaries, scholarships, internships, and employment opportunities she can help them out with.

Another service the centre provides Aboriginal students on campus is a chance to get in touch with their culture.

"Some people assume that if you are an Aboriginal person then you know everything about the culture and what it means to be an Aboriginal person. Some of them don't and haven't practiced a lot of the traditional ways. Here at the centre we are able to give them that at sharing circles and events."

Some of these programs, such as one that involves teachings from elders are open to all students.

"I think it's important to learn the history of your country which includes Aboriginal people."

Cheyenne Chartrand works at the Princess street campus in a small office on the fourth floor.

She was also hired by the college twelve years ago. She works as a recruiter and adviser who goes out into the communities.

The main part of her job is to be the primary source of contact for Aboriginal students. It's her job to act as a liaison between them and the college.

When she was young she struggled as a single mom while studying at the University of Manitoba. She has seen first hand what many of her students are going through.

"I remember being a university student heading down to the student centre in tears, ready to toss in the towel."

That's when a lady named Mary Young helped her out. Chartrand wants to have the same impact on others.

"It's really nice to see the students succeed. I like to think that I can play a small part in a student making their dream come true."

"They are making things happen. They are sounding their voices. They are using their education to push things forward. It's not just for themselves. They are doing it for their people and for their community."

The Next Challenge

In two weeks all the Journalism students as well as the rest of the students in the Creative Communications' program at Red River College will be heading out on our work placements.

I will be going to work for Sun Media.

I currently am a freelance reporter for the Selkirk Journal. My editor is Amanda Lefley, whom I met while covering an announcement by the Manitoba Sports' Hall of Fame while working at my last placement, at the Selkirk Record.

I will be working with her and Glen Hallick.

Today I asked Hallick about my duties and responsibilities during the work placement. He said I would be writing a lot of stories covering Stonewall.

He also asked me how good I was at InDesign because they want me to do some layout for the paper.

This has me a little worried. I've never been that great with InDesign, even if I do feel that I have improved a lot from where I began.

When it comes to design I do think I have a good eye for composition. I shot 27 interviews for my IPP last summer and I was really suprised and impressed by some of them.

At times I'm left shaking my head and wondering if it was really me who shot some of them.

I can't believe they look so good.

I guess this means I must have talents that I am not aware of.

I have a little  under two weeks before I go out on my work placement. I'm hoping this will be enough time.

The plan is to practice my InDesign skills as much as I can to get up to snuff. I'm positive I can do it.

If anyone knows anyone who is good at InDesign and would like to make a few bucks giving me a few pointers, please let me know

Going Back (one last time)

It had been a long time since I had stepped foot into the Westwood Presbyterian church. A lot has changed.

The year was 1981 and I was only four years old.

Most of my fellow students weren't even a glint in the eyes of their parents then.

I used to go their in the afternoons for what was called 'Kiddie College'. For a kid it was a lot of fun and a chance to interact with people my age.

We did finger painting as well as other games and crafts.

I still have this one piece I worked on with my mom a long time ago. Some how it has survived the last thirty years plus and still looks good.

Church was a big part of my life from an early age. My mom and my dad used to go every week which meant I had no choice.

Before going to church we used to watch Switchback on CBC. It was hosted by Laurie Mustard. For some reason he had a big fued with the town of Teulon.

He used to show old Batman episodes as well as other old TV shows. I used to think it was pretty funny. I remember one episode where he had a Trekker on wearing his Star Trek uniform. I thought it was pretty cool.

Sunday used to be my least favourite day of the week. I hated going to church. To me it was the most boring place to go in the world.

Like in the Simpsons, my favourite part of the week was the time right after church, because it was the time of the week when I had the most time before I had to go back.

We didn't go every sunday and each week I hoped that we wouldn't be going.

I guess I just couldn't stand what I considered bad public speaking.

Sunday school was always full and there was never a shortage of young families in attendance with their children.

It's not like this anymore.

In the congregation of about sixty people there was only one other person who was my age.

Not as many people it seems, attend church services in the city anymore, and many buildings which were built to house very large congregations are being torn down because they just don't pack them in like they used to.

What happened?

It's tough to say. After speaking with a bunch of the elder members of the congregation I couldn't find one single answer.

The answer I did find is the reason why people continue to come.

The one person I did speak with who was my age said that he enjoyed coming to church because it provided him with a sense of community.

I guess I never felt that and I suppose it's one of the reasons I didn't keep going.

My mom never stopped going. She still prays for me and hopes for the best.

She openly cried during the service and I couldn't understand why.

I hope it's not because she thinks I've been won back. Probably not.

I wouldn't be too surprised if another thirty years or so passed before I enter a church again.

How much more will change before then?

Time to Grow Up

I've seen better behaved students in Korea.

These kids were pretty terrible.

The old man at the front of the room had to tell them to stop banging on their desks. It wasn't the first time. When he told them he reminded them he had already said this was not acceptable behaviour.

They did it anyway, almost as if to spite him.

When they got up to talk it was hard to hear what they were saying.

The other kids in the classroom wouldn't stop talking.

If I was the teacher I might say, Jo Yung He Haseo.

If they didn't quiet down after that, I might have even used the much more forceful, Jo Yung He Hey!

It's funny, when I was a high school teacher my students never behaved so poorly in my classroom.

I would never have allowed it.

What type of classroom am I talking about?

Not any type of classroom you might be expecting.

Today, as part of an assignment for Journalism class, I spent part of the afternoon at the Manitoba Legislature.

The disorderly students weren't my fellow journalists, they were the politicians, supposedly working on our behalf.

The disorderly class they were keeping is also known as question period. Like many of my classes going to grade school growing up in the 80s, it only lasted forty minutes.

I guess some of the kids needed to go for recess.

Now I want to be fair, not all of our elected officials were behaving in a disorderly conduct. Many of the people who were talking out of turn I could not see.

Maybe they were hiding at the back of the room, just like in grade school.

As a student journalist I was very frustrated. Especailly after I was told to turn off my electronic recording device.

With all of the competing voices it was sometimes very hard to understand clearly what someone was trying to say.

Writing by hand became a chore.

Speaking with some politicians in a news scrum afterwards was a lot more fun. I was allowed to record that. They were very well behaved then.

I only wish I didn't have my Winnipeg Jets' jersey on. Underneath my jersey I had on a really nice button up shirt. I like to wear the jersey because the zipper on my jacket is broken.

I wish I hadn't worn it to the legislature yesterday. O well, I guess that means I'm just as bad as the politicians.

Time for us all to grow up.

cheers


Rymr

From a Former Teacher

I wasn't quite sure how to do this.

As a former teacher I have nothing but the highest respect for those who choose to do it as a profession. I know how hard it can be at times.

Good thing I never had to deal with me as a student.

My greatest weakness as a teacher is when it comes to discipline. Every time I would see a student misbehaving in my class it was hard for me to punish him.

I saw too much of myself.

One of the strongest memories I'll have of you is the fiery look you were giving me during first year when I was sleeping during Alex Freeman's speech.

It's a good thing I wasn't in your class yet.

Probably didn't make the best first impression.

I guess what I'm saying is I wish I had been a better student and tried harder.

This has been a very hard experience for me.

Sometimes I have to remind myself why I am putting myself through it. In the end it all comes down to the work.

I love journalism.

What I love the most about it is going out into the field and getting to talk to people.

It's the only time I really feel like I can be myself.

When you meet people for the first time they usually have no choice other than to take a person at face value.

That's how I wish everyone was treated.

One of my favourite memories from this year will be of covering Justin Trudeau. Not because of anything he said. I wasn't that impressed with him.

But I had a really great time speaking with the mother of the candidate in the by-election Trudeau was there to support.

I thought it was hilarious when you got an email from the candidate talking about the interview I did with her.

Journalism is the only thing that allows me to come alive.

When I'm down I love going out on an assignment because I love to go out and talk to people.

Believe it or not I'm actually a very friendly and out going person.

I wish people had got a chance to get to know me and that I could have brought more of this personality to class.

On second thought, maybe it's better that I didn't - being outgoing and energetic in class was Liz's job.

All the best with your retirement. I know I've enjoyed some of mine.

Rymr