Prince George Secondary School hosted the eighth annual Fruits of the Forest Feast on Friday. 

The lunchtime banquet, which was hosted by the school's Aboriginal Education Department, featured roast beef, Bannock, salmon, and more, though that wasn't the centerpiece of the menu. In addition to the delicious food, the school was presented with a new welcome sign crafted out of cedar wood. 

The sign was created by Cree/Dakelh visual artist Clayton Gauthier and features a polar bear wrapped by feathers. 

Photo Credit: PGSS

“There is a high number of Indigenous youth at the school,” Gauthier said. “Art holds a lot of power and they wanted to get the kids feeling more at home, in a sense. We incorporated the polar bear because it’s the school’s logo. As we were moving forward with the design, I put in two feathers, and the two feathers represent the road of life. Also, there’s two in there because of the balance that we need in our lives.”

Work began on the sign last October and featured the help of many students. 

“It was by whoever wanted to come and carve. People came in and tried it out and some of them stayed right from the beginning until the end. It was a variety of ages, from Grade 8 to Grade 12, and there were even adults. Teachers were carving too – all people. They were learning about the tools and different carving techniques."

The Welcome to PGSS sign will become the focal point in a reimagined front foyer at the school.