A special time
In the Karonhianónhnha Tsi Ionterihwaienstáhkhwa school 2002 yearbook, former principal, Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs, presents words of encouragement to the graduating class. (Courtesy: Kaia’titáhkhe Jacobs)
Story told by Kaia’titákhe Jacobs
After a few years in the classroom, I became principal of Karonhianónhnha Immersion School. Oh my goodness, those were the days. The school was absolutely remarkable in the way people just did things. They instinctively did what was the right thing to do.
At the time, most of the teachers were first-language speakers, and everybody had a personal interest in teaching because it was their language.
I remember making a policy one time because of the Diabetes Prevention Program. Junk food was completely banned from the school. So, I made an announcement to the teachers that we can’t bring in junk food. Our kids can’t bring in junk food. Tell them if they bring it in, it’ll be taken away from them.
The teachers agreed to that so readily!
I said, “We can’t have birthday cakes either.”
It was not a problem. Instead of birthday cakes, teachers came in with beautiful fruit platters, fruit salad, and vegetable platters. It was a special time where everybody came together to do what needed to be done. And surprisingly, the kids loved it.
Ok thiká:te tsi nikahá:wi
Kaia’titákhe Jacobs iakoká:raton
Tohkára niiohserá:ke ohnà:ken kanónhskon tsi ionteweienstáhkhwa’ shikherihonnién:ni, ohén:ton í:iente wa’ká:ton’ ne Karonhianónhnha’ tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’. Thia’karihwakénnia’te’, tsi niion’wesénhne’ tho shontakahá:wi’. Iorihwanehrákwaht tsi ní:tsi rotiió’tehkwe’ tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’. Sha’oié:ra ronaterièn:tarahkwe’ oh kwah nahatí:iere’ nahò:ten’ tkaié:ri.
Tho shontakahá:wi’, thó:ha akwé:kon tsi nihá:ti shakotirihonnién:ni iehatiwennaié:ri, tánon’ akwé:kon thoti’nikonhratihénthos ahshakotirihónnien’ ase’kén tiotierénhton raotiwén:na nen’ nè:’e.
Kè:iahre énska ki’ wa’tianerenhserón:ni’ ase’kén Diabetes Prevention Program. Watiawenhrá:ton kakhwáksen aontahontén:na’te’ tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’. Né: ká:ti’, wa’kherihowanáhten’ tsi nihá:ti shakotirihonnién:ni tsi iah thaonsón:ton’ kakhwáksen aontaiakwà:ion’te’. Iah thaón:ton’ aontahontén:na’te’ kakhwáksen ne ronterihwaiénstha’, ietshihró:ri tóka’ enthatì:ion’te’, enhonwatíhkhwa’.
Kwah óksa’k wahatirihwanòn:we’ne’ ne shakotirihonnién:ni!
Wa’kì:ron’, “Iah tesewá:tons aionkwakare’tsheraién:take’ ni’ nè:’e tóka’ ónhka ietsá:ko.”
Iah tekaió’tatskwe’. Né:ne iá:we’ nakarè:t, shakotirihonnién:ni tahatí:ion’te’ kí:ken iohskáts tsi ní:tsi kakwatákwen kahi’shòn:’a, kahi’shòn:’a tekanerahtaiéhston, tánon’ ase’shòn:’a ahón:neke’. Ok thiká:te tsi niion’wesénhne’ tho shikahá:wi tsi ska’nikòn:ra ón:ton’ naiakwá:iere’ tsi nahò:ten’ kari’wanóntha’. Tánon’ tiakotkáhthon ken, akwah wahoné:ka’we’ ne ratiksa’okòn:’a.
Translation by: Sahawisó:ko Arquette