Derek’s been teaching for 16 years. He earned his B.Ed. at the University of Saskatchewan in 2009. After teaching in Saskatoon for one year with the Let’s Lead - Nikanetan program, he moved to Lloydminster where he teaches now.  He has been focused in working with middle school students in both teaching and student services roles. In 2018, he founded the Land-Based Cultural Leadership Program, which integrates outdoor education, Cree language, and Indigenous cultural practices into the Grade 8 curriculum. 

His lessons are seasonally planned and diverse, including skinning coyotes to learning canoeing skills. Students in the program actively participate in community leadership and reconciliation activities. Beyond the classroom, Derek serves on the board of SaskOutdoors, contributes to Indigenous-focused math education, performs in community theatre, and co-leads a Scout troop. He is a dedicated husband and father of three.

Dr. Chris Clark is the author of ALL ABOARD, a book designed for teachers and facilitators with over 300 team building activities that is used by schools and camps across North America.  

He has been a teacher since 1994 and was the co-creator and teacher of the Saskatoon Public School Division’s Let’s Lead – Nikanetan program for grade 8 students that utilizes outdoor learning to re-engage marginalized students in their education and in leadership.  His M.Ed. was in the area of student engagement, and his PhD dissertation examined the affordances and benefits of outdoor learning.  

He is currently a physical education teacher with the Saskatoon Public School Division and a lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan in the College of Education, primarily teaching place-based and outdoor learning courses.