News from our businesses and markets

Lutsel K'e school attendance soars thanks to 'Eagle Feathers' program funded by Gahcho Kué mine

19 Dec 2023

A donation from Gahcho Kué Mine has successfully supported the establishment of the “Eagle Feathers” program at Łutsel K’e Dene School, with a focus on fostering positive student behavior and academic achievement among the school’s 72 students.

The promising impact of this program is evident in the 27% increase in students achieving 90-100% attendance from October 2022 to October 2023, with numbers rising from 15 to 19 students in the highest attendance category.

The program is built from principles that form the framework of the international Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program that seeks to. Create a positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environment where everyone thrives.

Teachers encourage students to engage in positive behaviors. Students and teachers celebrate the students’ successes by awarding Eagle Feathers, which can be converted into Eagle Feather Dollars that can be used to cash in to purchase rewards. The mine’s contribution was used to fund the purchase of prizes, which included toys, games, gift cards, cellphones, computers, gaming systems and other awards. The program also enables students to develop savings and budgeting skills, with options for saving their Eagle Feathers to cash in for bigger prizes.

The ongoing success of the 'Eagle Feathers' program has not only reaffirmed Łutsel K’e Dene School’s commitment for another year but has also sparked interest among several other IBA communities to adopt similar programs with the goal of improving school attendance and behavior. This expansion underscores the program's potential to positively influence student behavior and attendance across the region.

Funding for the program was provided as part of Gahcho Kué’s ‘Building Forever’ initiative, aimed to support thriving communities by working to improve educational outcomes for youth enrolled in schools close to mine. Gahcho Kué continues to support this program throughout the 2023-24 school year, illustrating a strong commitment to nurturing the academic futures of young students.

Gahcho Kué mine is a joint venture between De Beers Group (51% - the operator) and Mountain Province Diamonds (49%). The mine is located about 280 km northeast of Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories.