When Erik Koopman rolled into the parking lot of LSK School hauling a 600-pound trailer full of weird and wacky science stuff and a few live critters, no one in the Shubenacadie First Nations Band could have imagined the impact he would have on the community.

It didn’t take long for the excitement to build as Zoo-Guts, a one-of-a-kind collection of huge blow-up animals representing five of Canada’s endangered species, came to life, engulfing the Community Centre and widening the eyes of students and teachers alike as they eagerly climbed into the 18-foot Polar Bear or crawled inside the giant Leatherback Turtle or Coho Salmon.

Kassidy Augustine, a grade four student at LSK, said “It was awesome. I went inside all five animals. I could see and touch their organs and I learned what’s making them sick and what we can do to help.”

But Erik, an experienced teacher who works with Elephant Thoughts, Canada’s largest charitable organization supporting Educational Outreach in First Nations communities, brought along a lot more than the cargo he towed all the way from Collingwood, Ontario. He also brought a passion for teaching science, a desire to help instill First Nations’ pride in his students, and a determination to make his temporary school a centre of cultural learning and sharing.

For Erik, and his fellow teachers at Elephant Thoughts, their philosophy for capturing and keeping the attention of the students they work with is simple. “Make it fun, make it hands-on, celebrate and embrace the local culture, and involve the whole community.”

By all accounts, it’s an approach that works well. Community Education Liaison Officer, Velvet Paul, whose commitment to First Nation’s education at LSK caught the attention and won the support of the award-winning charity, says she’s overwhelmed with the response from both students and the community. “With Elephant Thought’s help, students from grades primary to 12 have access to a wide range of interactive, age-appropriate activities that are academically stimulating as well as culturally relevant. Whether it’s learning about endangered animals and conservation, doing bead work, going on a dinosaur dig, learning to survive in the wilderness or mastering the art of drum-making, we’re proving that learning can be fun for the student and good for the whole community. The number of parents and elders in Shubenacadie who have come out to participate in our community workshops or to support our in-class or after-school activities is proof of the high value they place on a quality education for their children that is rooted in the language, customs and traditions of our people.”

Chief Rufus Copage echoes Velvet’s statements. “It’s wonderful to see the kids get so excited about learning, especially when it incorporates so much of our rich culture and proud history.”

For Erik, who arrived in early May and who will be heading back to Collingwood once the school year is over, his time in Shubenacadie and LSK School has been well spent. “I’ve had an incredible time here so far. The community has been very supportive, and the staff we have hired from the community have helped make the programs a rousing success. The staff at the school have been fantastic to work with, and Velvet Paul and Hayley Ward have provided fabulous on-the-ground support. I will be sad to leave and will miss the kids and all of the great people who have made my stay here so fulfilling. We will be back in the summer for an Elephant Thought’s science camp and we hope to come back again next year, perhaps with a few more weird and wacky surprises in the trailer. In the meantime, I know the school is in good hands and that the community will continue to rally around it, and bring to it, a strong sense of Mi’kmaw pride and an on-going dedication to help its students learn and succeed.”

Tags: Elephant thoughts, featured, LSK, Shubenacadie