As part of the “Elders in the School Program”, Elder Vince Pawis (middle) shares his wise counsel and guidance with the students of St. James School. Vince uses the Medicine Wheel to express the meaning of the Four Sacred Directions which encompass all the teachings of the Seven Grandfathers. The students and school Deacon Pat Raymond and principal Cara Soehner participated in a smudging ceremony followed by a hands-on-approach to the Aboriginal Teachings.
Category: Indigenous Education
St. David Catholic School Partners with Aboriginal Best Start Hub to Celebrate Community
St. David Catholic School and Better Beginnings, Better Futures Aboriginal Best Start Hub proudly partnered Wednesday evening to welcome their community for a free community dinner and celebration. Families gathered for corn soup and bannock as well as fruit and homemade desserts. School Board personnel and Best Start Hub employees worked together to teach all family members how to make a rattle craft. Entertainment was provided by the grade 8 students of the school and community volunteers worked to set up and prepare for the evening. All children in attendance received gift bags from Better Beginnings filled with toys and school tools. “It was a wonderful celebration and showcase of what community can do when we all work together. St. David School is very proud to be a part of such a community based, fun, opportunity for learning and laughing with our local families”, said Tina Timpano, vice principal of St. David School. Lana Trudeau, the Aboriginal Support Worker for SCDSB stated, “We are off to a fantastic start and look forward to many more celebrations similar to this in our future partnership with Better Beginnings. Everyone had a great time, laughed a lot and filled their bellies. We appreciate Better Beginnings and everything they offer the community”.
Congratulations all Award Recipients
It was a great night for Aboriginal students from St. Benedict CSS, Marymount Academy, and St. Charles College. Students from all three Catholic Secondary Schools walked away with awards ranging from excellence in athletics, extra-curricular involvement, academic achievement and cultural recognition. “It’s a wonderful way for the community to come together to support our students’ achievements” Shelly Frappier, Native Studies Teacher from St. Benedict CSS stated.
For the past six years, aboriginal students across the Sudbury area have been honoured for their accomplishments during the school year at the Aboriginal Secondary School Awards Banquet. The banquet honours achievements in a number of categories and encourages community, family and peers to come out and support our youth. “It makes me feel very proud when I see former students of mine up on stage being honoured for graduating secondary school” explained Verna Hardwick, Native Language Teacher at St. David and St. Raphael schools. Verna Hardwick and her Ojibwe language students sang the opening honour song, said the opening prayer in Ojibwe and closed the evening with a closing song.
Special thanks to the wonderful staff of the United Way and Gezhtoojig Employment and Training who sponsor this event, in conjunction with local school boards and community agencies.
Congratulations to all award winners and graduates!
De-ba-jeh-mu-jig (Storytellers) Theatre Hits Home
The drizzly weather did not dampen the spirits of our Native Studies and Native Language students from St. Charles College and Marymount Academy, on their outing to Manitoulin Island. The students saw the play “The Indian Affairs” by Debajemujig Theatre, which has central themes of understanding Aboriginal People’s worldview and place in the social fabric of Canada. The students toured a few of the historical sites of Wikwemikong and had a lunch celebration at Zaawmiknaang Outdoor Eatery- owned and operated by Martina Osawamick, the grandmother and auntie of a few of our Native Studies & Language students. It was a wonderful learning experience and the students are hoping to return next year.
Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Dual Credit Program Announced
The press room was filled to capacity at Laurentian University as the Right Honourable Paul Martin announced the Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Dual Credit Program on April 27, 2010. In partnership with Laurentian and the Rainbow District School Board, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board made the announcement about this initiative that is the first of its kind in Ontario and is a program that enables Aboriginal youth to earn high school and university credits at the same time.
Throughout his business and political careers, the Right Honourable Paul Martin has been devoted to the cause of Canada’s Inuit peoples, First Nations and the Metis Nation. After retiring from politics, the former Prime Minister Paul Martin and his family established the Martin Aboriginal Initiative (MAI). MAI’s overall goal is to work with Canada’s Aboriginal peoples to enable them to enjoy greater economic self-reliance and an ever-increasing quality of life. The new dual credit program announce at Laurentian evolved as part of this initiative.
Domenic Giroux, President of Laurentian University talked excitedly about this new initiative. “Today’s announcement builds on the successful work completed in the Ontario college sector and the secondary school boards. This pilot program will extend the dual credit concept to the university environment for the first time ever in Ontario.”
Jody Cameron, Sudbury Catholic District Board Chair also felt that it was an important and necessary step to support aboriginal youth. “The SCDSB is proud to support Aboriginal secondary students in such an exciting and innovative initiative. We continue to build pathways that engage, challenge and provide new and varied learning opportunities for Aboriginal students. It is through these real world opportunities that our youth can achieve success in the future.”
Vanessa Lewis, a Grade 11 student from St. Charles College had the opportunity to be one of the few students chosen to be a part of the pilot dual credit program in Native Human Services with Laurentian this past year. According to Lewis, this program allowed her expand her plans for the future and the experience has been excellent. Lewis has, in fact, decided that she will be signing up for the new Entrepreneurship Dual Credit program for the fall.
SCDSB Students Take Part in Second Annual Aboriginal Youth Day
Students from the Sudbury Catholic District Board gathered at Tom Davies Square on April 9, 2010 to take part in the second annual Aboriginal Youth Education Day. During the day, the students had the opportunity to participate in workshops encompassing business, environment, health and education as well as listen to nationally renowned country singer Crystal Shawanda. Several community organizations including Laurentian University and the Greater Sudbury Police Services were on hand to answer questions and provide information to the students. Shelly Frappier, a teacher from St. Benedict felt that this event sent a strong message to the students that it is important for them to respect themselves and to be proud of their culture. “This gathering of community partners and supporters really showcases for the students the positive impact of the many contributions of First Nations People in the North.” said Frappier. “As well, it shows the students how important it is to set goals for themselves to achieve success in life.”
St. Paul Catholic Elementary School Enjoys Aboriginal Day Celebration
The Student Parliament at St. Paul Catholic Elementary saw their months of hard work result in a powerful and beautiful Aboriginal Day of celebration on March 26, 2010. This group of students applied for a Speak Up Grant which is a grant that is applied for from the Ministry of Education’s Student Voice initiative. These grants are available for student-led projects and are available for students who want to make a difference in their classroom, school and community. As well, the school applied for additional funding from the Board to supplement the costs of their Aboriginal celebration. With the help and support of their teacher, Marlene Lee, these students were successful in their applications and collectively worked to bring together a day for their entire school community that allowed all of the students to share in the learning and understanding of Aboriginal culture. The day involved a traditional smudging ceremony, an amazing aboriginal dancing and drumming demonstration, and a sampling of bannock. As well, the students attended different hands-on information sessions including hunting and harvesting, hand drumming, medicine wheel teachings, making masks, making dreamcatchers, interactive games and storytelling. The highlight of the day was a presentation by world renown aboriginal artist Leland Bell who shared his paintings and stories with the students as well as sang a traditional song for the group. Sharon Oliver, the Principal of the school was so overwhelmed by the day’s events that she choked back tears when addressing the students at the end of the day. “This was such a beautiful and powerful day that I am having a hard time as I am so overcome with emotion.” stated Oliver. “I thank Mrs. Lee and all of the students and staff for making this celebration such an absolutely incredible day – one that each and every student will be able to look back on and remember how dynamic and moving our celebration was!”
Aboriginal Dancing and Drumming at Pius
Pius XII students, staff and families from Minnow Lake Best Start and Maple Tree Preschool participated in their first Aboriginal Dance and Drum workshop on Tuesday, March 23rd in the Pius XII School gym. Fancy shawl and jingle dancers, Rosemarie Erb, Tracy Recollet, Chelsea Recollet and Kiana Manitowabi, wore their beautiful regalia and danced to the beat of the drummers. A special prairie chicken dance was performed by Hayden Shears-Recollet. The lead drummers, DJ MacGregor and Brad Robinson, were accompanied by four student drummers, Dawson Baptiste, Joey Manitowabi, Karaka Osawamick and Isaiah Hunt from the Native Studies class at St. Charles College. All together at the big drum, they aligned their drum beat with the heart beat of mother earth. Students had the opportunity to dance with the dancers to the beautiful songs of life. After the dancing and drumming in the gym, dancers visited the JK , SK and Minnow Lake Best Start classes and created their own paper doll regalia with sparkles, beads, feathers and jingles.
First Nation Student Speaks Proudly About his Culture
Dylan Spanish, a First Nation student at St. Andrew Catholic Elementary School proudly spoke of his family heritage and cultural traditions during the school’s annual Heritage Fair. According to Dylan, “the N’Swakmok Friendship Center in downtown Sudbury is where he spends time after school participating in cultural programs”. Dylan likes the Center’s youth activities and goes there every Tuesday and Wednesday after school. Dylan also stated that, “not only am I proud of my heritage, but I also am proud to share what I know with my friends and teachers at school. I feel good telling them about the medicine wheel and what it means.” Dylan further explained that, “the medicine wheel has four colours on it. The fours colours represent all races on Mother Earth and how everyone is equal and has gifts from the Creator.” Dylan also explained what traditional medicines were and how they are used during a sweat lodge. Dylan will represent his school at the Regional Heritage Fair at Laurentian University on May 6, 2010. Congratulations Dylan!