Celebrating our Storytellers

This project will create a comprehensive guide documenting forest school practices within Edmonton's River Valley and parks system. The guide will serve as both an educational resource and practical handbook for educators, families, and community organizations interested in nature-based learning. Drawing from Edmonton Forest School Society's experience operating programs across multiple park locations, the guide will include curriculum frameworks, seasonal programming ideas, risk management protocols, and place-based learning activities specific to Edmonton's unique urban forest ecosystem.

Website: https://edmontonforestschool.com/ Instagram: @edmontonforestschoolsociety Facebook: Edmonton Forest School

This project will examine the planning, development, and evolution of Mill Woods as one of Edmonton's most significant planned communities. Through archival research, oral history collection, and community engagement, the project will document how Mill Woods transformed from agricultural land to a diverse urban neighborhood. The research will explore themes of suburban planning, immigration patterns, community building, and cultural diversity, resulting in materials that celebrate Mill Woods' unique place in Edmonton's urban development story.

Website: https://www.millwoodshistory.org/catherinecole.html

This innovative project draws on the traditional French-Canadian legend of the flying canoe to explore Franco-Albertan heritage in dynamic ways. The project will combine historical research with creative storytelling, developing interactive presentations and multimedia resources that bring Franco-Albertan history to life for contemporary audiences. Through community workshops, educational materials, and cultural programming, the project will strengthen connections between past and present while making Franco-Albertan heritage more accessible to diverse communities across Alberta.

Website: https://histoireab.ca/ Facebook: Société historique francophone de l'Alberta

This project will weave Indigenous knowledge, ceremony, and cultural practices into Silver Skate Festival programming, creating meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange and education. Working with Indigenous knowledge keepers and community members, the project will develop culturally appropriate winter programming that honors the original inhabitants of this territory while enhancing festival experiences for all participants. The initiative includes traditional games, storytelling, cultural demonstrations, and educational components that celebrate Indigenous connections to winter and the land.

Building on existing research efforts, this project will create a comprehensive digital registry of obituaries from early Métis and Francophone communities across Alberta. Volunteers will systematically search historical newspaper archives to identify and index obituaries, creating a searchable database that preserves vital genealogical and historical information. The project aims to add 15,000 new entries to an existing database of 17,000 records, focusing primarily on The Edmonton Journal archives while expanding to other regional newspapers to capture the full scope of Métis and Francophone community life.

This project represents the second phase of the innovative Griot App, a digital platform designed to preserve and share African diaspora stories and cultural knowledge. Phase 2 focuses on community launch and school integration, developing educational partnerships and community outreach strategies to maximize the app's impact. The project will create educational resources, conduct workshops with community organizations and schools, and establish sustainable frameworks for ongoing story collection and sharing. The initiative aims to strengthen intergenerational connections while providing accessible tools for cultural preservation and transmission.

This collaborative project will work with Métis Elders and Knowledge Keepers in Batoche and Treaty 6 territory to record, transcribe, and preserve traditional Métis songs, particularly lullabies and other musical traditions. The recordings will be carefully documented with cultural context and, with appropriate consent, made available in both digital and printed formats for educational use. The project emphasizes community-led language revitalization efforts while creating accessible resources for educators, families, and community members interested in connecting with Michif language and traditional music practices.

This project will create comprehensive educational resources for K-12 schools to teach about Palestinian culture, history, and contributions to Canadian society. Working with educators and community members, the project will develop age-appropriate curricula, resource guides, and interactive materials that promote cultural understanding while addressing misconceptions and stereotypes. The resources will include historical context, contemporary Palestinian-Canadian experiences, cultural traditions, and strategies for creating inclusive classroom environments. The project received the highest jury score and aims to fill a significant gap in available educational materials about Palestinian heritage.

This project will establish community cooking programs that celebrate food traditions from Edmonton's diverse cultural communities while building neighborhood resilience and connections. Through hands-on cooking classes, recipe sharing sessions, and community meals, participants will learn about different cultural approaches to food while developing practical skills and social connections. The program emphasizes food as a vehicle for cultural exchange, community building, and resilience-building, particularly in underserved neighborhoods where access to fresh, culturally appropriate foods may be limited.

This project will collect and document stories from Edmonton's diverse cultural communities, exploring themes of immigration, settlement, community building, and cultural preservation. Through interviews, oral history collection, and community engagement sessions, the project will create a comprehensive record of how different cultural groups have contributed to Edmonton's development while maintaining their distinct identities. The resulting materials will highlight both individual experiences and collective narratives that demonstrate how diversity strengthens community bonds and enriches urban life.