SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 73
Barriere Elementary Unveils New School Mosaic for 60th Anniversary

In celebration of Barriere Elementary School's 60th Anniversary, the school unveiled a new mosaic created by students, staff, and the community.

Y7ucwmentwécw (pronounced Yucw-men-twe-kuh) translated from Secwepemctsín, meaning "getting used to one another" is an art project intended to symbolize acceptance and reconciliation. The Y7ucwmentwécw mosaic is the result of a collaborative project that involved students, staff, and PAC families from Neqweyqwelsten School and Barriere Elementary School.

This project is inspired by the wisdom and culture of the local Indigenous people, especially the Simpcw First Nation. The project includes ten Secwépemc beliefs for good living, written in Secwepemctsín, to describe healthy ways of living in Simpcw culture. The beliefs are: be close to the spirit, respect one another, help one another, be honest, do what is right, keep healthy and strong in body and mind, have reverence for the earth and all of life, know how to take care of yourself, do not depend on anybody else, do your share of work for the good of all, and care for the good of all to cooperate. These values align with Barriere Elementary's values of safety, kindness, respect, and responsibility.

Participants from both schools were asked what makes you feel connected?' using this as inspiration, students from Kindergarten to Grade 7 each painted a square glass tile. Each tile is a personal statement, representing the thoughts, connections, culture, and feelings of each individual about what makes them feel welcomed and accepted. Hundreds of tiles were then put together by artists Marina Papais and Daniel Collett to create a stunning mosaic that now hangs in the school's main entrance to welcome students, families, teachers, staff, and guests to Barriere Elementary for years to come.

On Tuesday, June 18, students and community members finally got to see the results of this collaborative project when the final Y7ucwmentwécw mosaic artwork was revealed. Students, teachers, parents, and community members gathered in the gym and excitedly counted down as they watched the mosaic unveiling projected on a screen. Cheers echoed throughout the halls as they saw how their individual tiles created one large mosaic that represented everyone.

"As we unveil this project today, we celebrate more than just a beautiful piece of art," shared Barriere Elementary Principal Mikel Brogan. "We celebrate our commitment to creating a place where every student and person feels they belong. This mosaic stands as a daily reminder of our promise to build a community where everyone is accepted and valued."

The Y7ucwmentwécw mosaic layout is designed to look like a honeycomb in a beehive, emphasizing the importance of community. The six sides of the honeycomb represent Barriere Elementary's 60 years. The blue frame honours the North Thompson River, a lifeline for the Simpcw People, and reminds everyone to respect the land and its caretakers. The center of the honeycomb features the school values, represented by Indigenous animals designed by local artist Leeann Eustache.

"I was thinking about what a mosaic represents, and when you think about the fact that it's tiny pieces of a bigger picture, Truth and Reconciliation is also, in a sense, tiny pieces of a bigger picture," shared Neqweyqwelsten School Head Teacher Travis Hall. "When I was reading the title of the project, it loosely translated to getting used to each other,' and the way we get used to each other is through spending time together and developing an understanding. This is an example of the bigger picture and working towards Truth and Reconciliation, and we're very happy to be doing that work with you."

After the mosaic was unveiled, classes of students visited the mosaic throughout the day to view it up close and look for their individual tiles.

Barriere Elementary Grade 5 student Naomi Banzaru shared, "I think that our beautiful new art project represents kindness. It feels like it connects us all and represents us all. It means to me that it shows our core values that embrace the Simpcw People and our school core values, which are being kind, safe, respectful, and responsible. The 10 Secwépemc Beliefs for Good Living and working with Neqweyqwelsten School shows reconciliation and that we all belong here. I think reconciliation means to recognize everybody in the school community. It shows the kindness and belonging that everyone shares I was very excited to see everyone's pieces of art when the project was revealed!"

Special thanks to project organizers Kiera Eustache, Leeann Eustache, and Principal Mikel Brogan, artists Leeann Eustache, Marina Papais and Daniel Collett, Simpcw Elder William Pete and the Simpcw Language and Culture Team who helped with the Secwepemctsín title and translation, and the Barriere Elementary School PAC for supplying the materials.