Tire Stewardship BC & Interchange Recycling  & SD 33 (Chilliwack) Bringing Listen to the Stream into being! Here is a short video that tells the story of the emergence of a unique, first-time-ever project, Listen to the Stream/Xwelelam te Stótelō. The space was created through the support of these community partners - Tire Stewardship BC, Interchange Recycling and SD 33 (Chilliwack). Listen to the Stream: Intro Video

 Chapter 4: Community Partners - University of the Fraser Valley Susan Mide Kiss, Vice-President, Office of Community Engagement University of the Fraser Valley, giving an interview in the hallway  outside the Imagine High Theatre on June 21, 2023 There was a contingent of folks from UFV who attended the concert, including James Mandigo--Acting Vice President,;Christina Forcier--Operations Manager, Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor; Amy Mykes--Director Community Programming and Experience, Office of Community Engagement

  Standing together with our Community Partners  After the concert we gathered our Community Partners together in a circle. The idea was to give everyone the opportunity to see each other supporting this wonderful and important work...to share this moment of accomplishment and joy that was palpable in the theatre after the students' uplifting performance. One by one we went around the circle, and everyone introduced themselves and spoke about how they came to be at Listen to the Stream, and why. (Clockwise from top): Ey St'elmexw St'elt'ílém/Good Medicine Songs. Artist Response Team. Tire Stewardship BC. SD 33 (Chilliwack). Imagine High Integrated Arts and Technology Secondary. University of the Fraser Valley. Interchange Recycling.  Cheam First Nation. 

 Voices of Nature school music programs started back in 1999 The Artist Response Team has been producing Voices of Nature school music programs since 1999. We developed a methodology for working with elementary-aged children and their teachers. Educators' handbooks tied cross-curricular activities together with the song lyrics. Culminating concerts brought in the entire school community--a cross section of adoring adults who paid attention to the messages being delivered by their children. We developed a "never fail" recipe. The kids embraced the songs because they are up tempo, rockin', and they know they are singing about something really important that they care about. Teachers are happy because their students are engaged. Schools, school districts, sponsors all gathered round to support concerts with giant choirs of youth singing out for the Earth. Water For Life concert in Edmonton, Nov 24, 2015 The same basic approach worked with the Imagine High students.

  The kids who chose to be part of the Rock Band Learning Community   Kevin, Jonny, Sulisulwut and I did several sessions with the Rock Band students. They picked up their instruments and we thrashed around together...seeking to find musical expression the way stream water runs down hill. One day we were in the band room and these students were playing their guitars.  It was such a gift to see them all engrossed in what they were doing, playing their instruments. Their teachers, Matt Slykhuis and Michael Buhler played a huge roll in bringing the "Listen to the Stream" song into being. Matt had his hands on the pulse of their energy, guiding and steering in a subtle way that always let students make their own choices, yet kept them on track. Michael had a great song sense, and great suggestions for where to go with it. And the students graced us with their attention and effort. 

  Imagine High students in the Stream Restoration program At Imagine High students choose a Learning Community that they want to be part of, for a semester. These students enrolled in the Stream Restoration program. They participated intensively in many ways. They dipped their shovels in the ground on the S.A.Y. lands--of the Skowkale, Aithchelitz and Yakweakwioose First Nations. They planted trees. Removed invasive species. Learned about watershed stewardship and the impacts of colonialism on Stó:lō lives, culture and wellbeing. Their learning was intensive, broadbased and multifaceted.  They expressed their learning in many creative ways. The depth of their learning about stream restoration and Indigenous world view created the space for them to be open to singing Good Medicine Songs, and collaborating to create a song in Halq'eméylem and English. 

  Our Good Medicine Songs team at Imagine High (l-r) X ótxwes Jonny Williams, Kevin Wright, Holly Arntzen, Sulisulwut Bibiana Norris, and Dr. Siyamiyateliyot Elizabeth Phillips (not pictured.) We introduced ourselves in an assembly in the Imagine High theatre in early April 2023. We gathered with students from the Stream Restoration and Rock Band programs. Our Spiritual Guide, Dr. Siyamiyateliyot Elizabeth Phillips was with us too. Her grandson,  X ótxwes, explained to the students how she was the last person who was fluent in Halq'eméylem, the last person who grew up with the language as their mother tongue. The boisterous group of grade 10 students became silent and attentive.  We sang Chowiyes-Xwithet/Rise Up-Wake Up and told its story of being inspired by the discovery of 215 unmarked graves in Kamloops. We sang St'et'il te Temexw Xwela ye Sqeltel/The Land is Lonesome for the Language. Jonny told of Siyamiyateliyot's loneliness to hear the language being spoken, as ...