Students at Montecito Elementary got to dive into the "Bears' Lair" thanks to a partnership with a parent at the school who is part of a television program of the same name.
Geena Jackson from the Shíshálh Nation is a judge and creator of Bears' Lair, a reality TV series about Indigenous entrepreneurs that airs on APTN. She leads a related youth camp that all Grade 6/7 students at Montecito Elementary got the chance to participate in.
The children at the school worked on developing a product, budget, marketing, and presenting their ideas.
Tanis Anderson is the Principal of Montecito Elementary:
Everything was professional and next level. We're so thankful to Geena and the team for their partnership and expertise. The students' creativity soared, and it was so much fun to watch them engage deeply and joyfully in this unique career exploration opportunity."
Anderson noted that students covered many parts of the curriculum, including Applied Design, Skills and Technologies (ADST), Math, Language Arts and all core competencies.
"They have learned about public speaking, hand shaking, eye contact, and so many more skills that they will use throughout their lives."
Over several days, students learned the fundamentals as they created a business idea, developed a logo and more. They then worked on presenting their pitch - all with mentorship, coaching, and guidance from facilitators.
As they would have if they were adults on the Bears' Lair show, the students were filmed as they pitched their business ideas. The project culminated in a celebration of learning at the school where the video presentations were shared.
Watch the student presentations here.
