Under the leadership of Native Studies teacher, Nancy Hamer-Strahl, last year Port Perry High School in the Durham District School Board (DDSB) participated in Project of Heart.

Nancy recognized the initiative provided an excellent way for students to respond in a meaningful way to the emotions they were feeling as a result of learning about the tragic loss of children’s lives due to the Indian Residential Schools.

This year, Nancy has helped to take Project of Heart to another level. Once again she will be involving students in her school with the raising of awareness and response to IRS. On September 28th, Nancy presented Project of Heart to DDSB Native Studies teachers as part of the day’s in-service. Nine secondary schools in Durham are now incorporating Project of Heart in their Native Studies programs in order to promote greater awareness among students in their schools of the impact Indian Residential schools have had on Aboriginal peoples across Canada.