We have completed our first book! On Wednesday the 25th we did have a celebration and invited family, friends, elders, and chief’s and council members. It was a successful turn out and our students did awesome on their Oral Presentations. They were able to introduce themselves in detail, telling everyone who they are, their family, where they come from, a large list if activities, food, weather that they like and activities they did both in the past and present tenses.
 
After the presentations were complete we began the second part of our day, the community feedback meeting. This meeting allowed us to gather some important information, that will help us to improve the Syilx  Langauge House. This information will also be crucial for us to know how we can further support the Communities within the Okanagan Nation. A great success in our eyes. not only because of the good attendance but the discussion was very productive and we stayed right until 3pm. 

On Thursday we started Captikʷł 1. This is super exciting for all of us, because we are able to carry forth with bit more Nsyilxcn substance. We are no longer using simple sentences, we are now learning the legend on coyote and horse. Our new pace is learning 1 story per day. These stores are broken up into 3 sets, plus the 3 sets of vocabulary, and a final review of each story at the end of the day. The Cohort has their work cut out for them, but it at least they only have 2 pages of homework!

 
Nińwis łwikńtsn
(see you later)

Amazing to think that we stand here together for the completion of Nsyilxcn 1, our first semester of the Paul Creek curriculum.  Today the students will sit a written exam and then each will give an oral presentation to a room filled with supportive faces from all the representing Bands, from family, and community. We are excited to move forward to the next semester, Captíkʷł 1 which is storytelling!

This week is all about studying and reviewing for our students. Next week is our final written exam and an Oral exam that will be presented in front of a room full of family, friends, elders, chiefs and council members. The students have been working extra hard this week to get prepared and making sure all their homework is complete. In saying all this, we the Co-Teachers and Staff at the Syilx Language House Association want to put our hands up to the students for all their hard work and dedication to this program. We understand that you have other responsibilities outside of the 2 days per week you spend here. We wish you all the best in your upcoming exams and we know you will all Ace your Oral exams, despite the large crowd.