Category Archives: Northern Ontario

Westmount Public in Thunder Bay shows its love on Valentine’s Day

Westmount Valentine's

Students from Westmount Public School continue their reconciliation journey by bringing candy grams and a message of solidarity to Dennis Franklin Cromarty (DFC) on the most loving day of the year, Valentine’s Day. They also delivered a $1,000.00 cheque along with the candygrams to top off the day! Thunder Bay Newswatch has a great article about this event and the other excellent reconciliation initiatives that are going on within the Thunder Bay District School Board.

The young advocates have written some amazing letters as part of The Caring Society’s Have a Heart Day that hundreds of schools across Canada participate in to pressure the Government of Canada to stop discriminating against First Nations students. Beware Canada. The students of Dennis Franklin Cromarty have vocal allies and they are tired of our leaders not carrying out their responsibilities!

Thank you Westmount Public for showing your love on Valentine’s Day. Project of Heart dittoes what your teacher, Jaime Murdoch says, “We are very proud of the interest and the commitment from our students. Makes you feel like you can make a difference.” And you are. Chi meegwetch!

Eabametoong students use Project of Heart to discover families’ own memories of Residential Schools


 

Editor’s note:

It took time, a whole lot of it — and agonizing consideration — before John C. Yesno Education Centre teacher Courtney Strutt did something that brought students, staff members, and the community of Eabometoong (Fort Hope) together to do something that took courage and belief in the power of the human spirit.

Courtney knew the hurt ran deep. She knew wounds would be reopened if she were to join a movement that was beginning to spread across the entire country: teaching the truth about Canadian history.  But Courtney did what she knew she had to do, and in the end, leaders of the Truth and Reconciliation movement in Canada would highlight her actions as a model for settlers in this country to follow.  Please read her account here: Continue reading Eabametoong students use Project of Heart to discover families’ own memories of Residential Schools

Moving hearts at Timiskaming District S.S.


Mary Graham and the students in her Native Studies course at Timiskaming District Secondary School in Northern Ontario will never forget commemorating the students who lost their lives while attending the Federal Hostel in Cape Dorset, Nunavut. As Graham states, “It is a project of learning, of compassion, and of reconciliation.” Continue reading Moving hearts at Timiskaming District S.S.

Sioux Lookout Students complete Project of Heart

 

“Painting the wooden tiles was an honour. I felt very good about being able to contribute towards the healing of so many wounds. I had always wanted to and with the lyrics of my favourite motivational song I was able to do so. ‘Keep holding on, just stay strong.’ Those words helped me through a lot of times in my life and I felt they could help those affected by residential schools.”

 

These are the words of Miranda Henderson, Grade 12 student at Queen Elizabeth District High School. Miranda and many other Grade 10 Native Studies students were lucky to be in Sylvia Davis’ classroom when they found an excellent way to commemorate both the survivors of the Indian Residential Schools as well as the ones who never made it back home. Continue reading Sioux Lookout Students complete Project of Heart