Below is an excerpt from an article published by The Northern View:

On Tuesday [13 February 2007] nights at Roosevelt School, you’ll find adult students eagerly learning Sm’algyax, the language of the Tsimshian. The course is taught by elders such as Sampson Collinson, Majorie Brown and teacher Isabelle Hill who all speak the language fluently. This program has been offered to the community for several years, and all are warmly welcomed to attend.

The students are focused on this night’s lesson as Sampson explains beautifully a traditional Ts’msyen story in Sm’algyax , a story that he recounts with incredible ease as it seems to just roll off his tongue. He is amazing to listen to and the students listen in respectful silence and appreciation. Isabelle Hill quickly jots some of the words on the chalkboard that Sampson wants the students to learn and remember for next class. Suunt – summer, maay – berry, hoon – fish, are among many of the words. The students are then asked to repeat them several times, and when he is satisfied, Sampson goes onto the next one. Isabelle Hill also teaches the class with ease, under the watchful eye of Majorie Brown. Throughout the night, the students will also refer to their thick English and Sm’algyax dictionaries.

Their reasons for taking the course vary, but for many of these students, dedicating a few hours on a Tuesday night to learn their language is very important. For some, like Glen Reece, who has attended Sm’algyax classes for the past five years, their grandparents or parents spoke the language, and they would like to participate in conversations. For others, learning Sm’algyax is an important step in the commitment to keeping their language as well as their culture alive. Elder Sampson Collison feels there is a danger of losing the language, as there are not many people left who speak it fluently. He also stated that they are trying very hard to bring their language back, and he stressed that knowing the language is an important part of knowing the history of the Ts’msyen.

Attending the classes allows the students to learn how to write, to read, to pronounce and speak Sm’algyax. Sm’algyax has over 52 sounds and the letter A, for example, has about eight different sounds. Certain letters are not used like B, C, F, J, Q, R and V. Pronunciation is very important and requires a lot of skill and practice, otherwise words can be completely misinterpreted.

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School District 52 has a very diverse and multi-cultural student body, half of which are of First Nations ancestry. Leighton-Stephens feels that offering Sm’algyax to students offers many of them self-esteem, confidence and a feeling of knowing who they are.