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EducationOnTheLand11TuesdayAugust262014StudentsgrowbushskillscondenceatTsuLakeAuroraCollegeprogrammingkicksoffwithENRTPeldcampByMEAGANWOHLBERGIcantbelievethisisschoolsaysOliviaVilleb-runarst-yearstudentoftheEnvironmentandNaturalRe-sourcesTechnologyProgramENRTPatAuroraCollegesittingonthedeckofthecampkitchenwhilestaringoutatthecalmmorningwatersofTsuLake.The21year-oldandherclassmateswokeuprefreshedFridaymorningafterasolidnightsrestbackintheircab-insfollowingafour-daycanoetripontheTaltsonRiverear-lierthatweek.Theexpedition-meanttochallengethestudentsphysi-callyandmentallyonwhatcouldpossiblybetheirrstforayintorealwildernesssurvival-isakeystoneofENRTPsintroductoryeldcampwhichsetsthetoneforthetwo-yearprogramfusingtechnicaltrainingandaca-demiccoursework.Iloveit.IfeellikeImlearningalotandmakingreallygoodfriendsVille-brunsaid.Itriedgoingtouniversitydidntlikeit.AndnowthatIhaveafewyearsundermybeltdoingotherstuffIjustdecidedtodothisprogram.ItsnicebecauseitsnotalongprogrambutifIdochoosetoaftermydiplomaIcouldgoformyBachelorofSciencesothatsaniceopendoor.Villebrunwhosaidshewasnervousgoingintothecanoetripknowsnowthatshecansurviveagruellingfour-dayexpedition-alongwithoperateachainsawdriveaboatandpickupdreadedhair-eaterswithherhandsifitmeansusingthemforentomologyclass.Thecanoetripwasare-allygoodwaytoenforceteamworkandgetthegrouptighteraddedIanZiemanna20year-oldrst-yearstu-dentfromYellowknifewhosaidhisinterestliesingeol-ogy.Peoplewhodidnttalkbeforearefriendsnow.Thegroupof12rstyearswhohavebeenoutatTsuLakesincethebeginningofthemontharenowputtingintheirlastweekofworkatthecampwhichhasgiventhemintroductorytraininginev-erythingfromchainsawandrearmsafetytothestudyofbirdsinsectssmallmam-malsandplantstohowtodriveaboatandrappelfromsteepcliffsonrockyeagle-inhabitedislands.HandedpowertoolsandpaintbrushesthegroupofrstyearslaunchedintoadayofcampconstructiononFridaywheretheywerejoinedbyagroupofninesecond-yearstudentsbackfortheirnalroundatthesummereldcamp.WithayearofcourseworkundertheirbeltstheseniorstudentsaretakingthenextweektorefreshtheirGPSskillsandworkonareasofwatermonitoringsheriesforestrygeologyandoilspillcontainmentamongothers.ManyhavereturnedtoTsuLakewithasummerofrelevantjobexperiencein-creasingtheirstrengthsintheeld.AmongthoseisEv-elynBih-NebawhomovedtoCanadafromtheAfricannationofCameroonlastyeartotakeENRTPandspentthesummervolunteeringonen-vironmentalprojectsinCal-garysparks.Whensherstenteredtheprogramandwasconfrontedbyworktraditionallyunder-takenonlybymeninCamer-oon-nottomentionthecoldclimate-shewasunsureofherabilities.Nowshesaidhercondencehasgrownreadyingherforwhateveropportunitiescomeherwayinthepursuitofherpassionwildlife.Iamgratefultothepro-gramshesaid.LastyearwhentheywouldtellustodosomethingIwouldthinkHowcanIdothisButnowtheytellustodosomethingandIjustgoandgureitoutonmyown.Iamstronger.KyleNaultofHayRiverandCatherineGraydonofYellowknifealsosecuredre-latedjobsoverthesummerdoingwaterqualitytestingfortheDehchoFirstNationsandhydrologysheriesmoni-toringfortheEkatidiamondminerespectively.ProgramdirectorKevinSmithsaidtheTsuLakecampisanopportunityforfirst-yearstudentstogetintroducedtoawidevari-etyofskillsandconceptstheywouldhavetoknowasatechnicianorresourceofceranddecidewhethertheprogramisreallyforthem.Forsecondyearsitsachancetodoappliedeldworkspecictothecoursestheyaretaking.ThoughitslogisticallyandnanciallydifculttoruntheeldcampseveryyearSmithsaidtheout-comesareworthit.Aboutathirdoftheprogramsgraduatesgoontofin-ishtheirBachelorofSci-encedownsouth-takingtechnicalexperiencewiththem-andthemajorityarematchedupwithprospectiveemployersthroughouttheirtimeatschool.ItschallengingbutIthinkitsessentialhesaid.Havingbothacademicma-terialandpracticalmate-rialthatissynthesizedonthelandismeaningfulinadifferentway.Thatsoneoftheprimarypurposesoftheeldcamp.Second-yearstudentsoftheEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesTechnologyProgramdotrailmaintenanceattheTsuLakeeldcamplastFridaynorthofFortSmith.InstructorSarahBeattieandrst-yearstudentsSoniaMartin-ElssonandLindsayPaultakeabreakfromcampconstructionwhichhadstudentsworkingonadockandpaint-ing.CatherineGraydonKyleNaultandLeeMandevillepracticeGPSmappinginclass.Second-yearstudentEvelynBih-NebaoriginallyofCameroonsayshercondenceinthebushhasgrownsincelastyearseldcampandcoursework.PhotosMeaganWohlberg