In a modest room behind the library at Dene Tha' Community School in northwestern Alberta, teenagers are running a radio station that has become far more than a student project—it's becoming a critical communication lifeline for a community facing recurring natural disasters.
Located roughly 850 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, the First Nations community of Chateh sits in a region vulnerable to both devastating wildfires and spring flooding. That reality has transformed what began as an educational initiative into something potentially life-saving for the 900-plus residents who depend on the station's broadcasts.
Chara Metchooyeah, 19, serves as host and program coordinator for DTSC Radio. The recent graduate understands the dual role she and her fellow broadcasters play every time they step up to the microphone.
"One minute I can be adding humour or personality to a segment, and the next I'm sharing important information that people actually rely on," Metchooyeah said.
By day, the station delivers what listeners expect from community radio—favourite songs, evening shows, weather updates, and cultural programming that includes regular Dene language lessons through their "word of the moment" segment. But when danger approaches, the station transforms into something more urgent.
Learning Through Crisis
Sean Hickman, the DTCS teacher who has overseen the program since 2024, says the station offers students something classroom walls cannot provide: real responsibility and real impact.
"Getting local input into things like radio, especially the younger you are, allows the students to take control a little bit of their own destinies," Hickman explained.
In recent years, Chateh has faced evacuation orders multiple times. Last summer, encroaching wildfires forced residents to flee. In spring months, snowmelt causes rivers to rise dangerously, sometimes cutting the school year short.
Metchooyeah remembers the intensity of the 2025 fire threat vividly. "It can get pretty scary at times," she told CBC News when reflecting on that experience.
During such emergencies, the station's value becomes unmistakable. Students were in class when the 2025 fire began escalating, and the radio station became a crucial channel for getting timely information to residents who needed it.
DTCS Acting Principal Christopher Mangaser acknowledges the unpredictability of the environment. "The weather is very unpredictable," he said, "and flooding is a point of worry when there isn't wildfire concern in Chateh."
The station represents a model of youth empowerment and community resilience that extends far beyond typical school programming. By giving teenagers a genuine voice in their community's safety and information ecosystem, the Dene Tha' Community School has created something that serves its residents during ordinary days and extraordinary ones alike.
This article is based on reporting from CBC Edmonton.