Our Story
OUR STORY
Rachel Marchand
Juniper Tree Learning Materials Inc. was founded by two passionate educators dedicated to creating meaningful, culturally grounded resources for early childhood education.
Rachel is a sqilxʷ/syilx member from the Okanagan Indian Reserve, holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and has years of experience as an Early Years Educator. Her work focuses on storytelling, language revitalization, and fostering connections between children and their land through culturally relevant teaching practices.
Andrea Strang
Andrea is a non-Indigenous Early Childhood Educator specializing in Montessori education. She holds both a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) and a Master of Education (M.Ed.). As an uninvited guest residing on the unceded and traditional territory of the sqilxʷ/syilx Okanagan People, Andrea is deeply committed to reconciliation in education. She incorporates First Peoples Principles of Learning and an Indigenous worldview into her work, ensuring inclusive and decolonized approaches to early learning.
Together, Rachel and Andrea created Juniper Tree Learning to bridge the gap between traditional Indigenous knowledge and contemporary education systems. They work collaboratively with local First Nations communities to create land-based, culturally responsive resources that support children, families, and educators.