Latest news with #IndigenousGraduates
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Indigenous grads at Red Deer Polytechnic surprised with gifts by student services staff
Indigenous graduates of Red Deer Polytechnic in Alberta this year were surprised when they were given gifts — including a blanket featuring a white buffalo — from the school's Indigenous Students Services office. Lloyd Desjarlais, dean of Indigenous initiatives, said it was recognition from the institution "that they are Indigenous; they are unique." "And I think it did catch a few of them off guard but, you know, all pleasantly surprised and very happy." Desjarlais, who is from Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan, said Justice Soosay and Kimberly Potts, who work at the Indigenous Student Services office, were the driving force behind the idea. All three are former students of the school who understand the challenges that Indigenous students face — and they wanted to celebrate their accomplishments, he added. "[None] of us received anything like this as graduates so we just kind of want to be the people that we needed when we were students," he said. "There are different needs and different ways that they need support, whether it's from our department or from the institution." The school has put work into its reconciliation plan and Desjarlais said services for Indigenous students today are far more robust than when he was studying. The school has 63 self-identified Indigenous students graduating this year, which Desjarlais said is the largest cohort he has seen since he began his work eight years ago. "The number keeps growing every year," he said. Creating the design Lisa Big Snake, co-owner of Snake Stitch, created the blankets for the grads. She said the design of the white buffalo and handprints was something she thought about a lot. Big Snake, who is a member of the Siksika Nation in Treaty 7, said she was inspired by the saying that education is the new buffalo. She said adding handprints was a signal to the Every Child Matters campaign and encircling the buffalo with them represents unity. Receiving a blanket is an honour in many First Nations, she added. "Every graduate that convocated is going to receive something that they're going to hold with pride, and that white buffalo will give them the strength to carry out that," Big Snake said. The idea for the blankets came late so Big Snake only had a couple weeks to make them but said it wasn't a problem for the family-run operation. "We got a good crew," she said, adding that her children all work with her. Knowing that her work is being given to graduates on this important occasion is exciting, she said. "We never know where those graduates are going to end up working in this world." Two students in particular stood out as "super grateful" for the gifts, according to Desjarlais. Those students did their entire four-year degrees at the school and saw the improvements the school has made in terms of the services for Indigenous students, he said. The school's work on reconciliation has helped students deal with common obstacles like finances, family issues or even reconnecting with their cultures, according to Desjarlais. "They were really grateful to receive the gifts and they were thankful for [Soosay and Potts] for making the effort to think about them," Desjarlais said.
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Winnipeg School Division honours Indigenous graduates in the city and beyond
Parker Ledoux, 17 from Creighton, Sask. who graduating from Creighton Community School, poses for a portrait in Winnipeg on Monday, June 16, 2025 at the University of Winnipeg Duckworth Centre as part of a special celebration put on by the Winnipeg School Division to honour 2025 Indigenous graduates, as well as graduates from northern Manitoba communities who have been evacuated due to ongoing wildfires. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski WINNIPEG — Parker Ledoux never imagined spending the last month of her Grade 12 school year cooped up in a Winnipeg hotel room far from her home. But when an out-of-control wildfire encroached on Creighton, Sask., at the end of last month and forced its some 1,200 people to flee, that's exactly what happened. With graduation celebrations supposed to take place next week and community members still displaced, Ledoux is not sure what the quintessential teenage experience will look like for her and her classmates. The Winnipeg School Division recognized the uncertainty high school evacuees may be facing and opened up its own ceremony honouring Indigenous graduates to students forced out of their homes by the wildfires. 'I am so grateful to be here today,' said Ledoux, a Red River Métis citizen. 'Just the opportunity to do something ... I'm grateful that they thought of us evacuees.' The school division was to host its annual outdoor powwow last week, but had to postpone it due to wildfire smoke from the north impacting air quality in the province's capital. The division decided to host a smaller, scaled-back version Monday with a grand entry, drumming and singing honour songs and speeches. Officials saw the new event as an opportunity to also recognize the resilience, dedication and achievements of students beyond the school division. 'Welcoming these evacuated students is our way of honouring their hard work, extending our community and showing them that we care,' said Rob Riel, assistant superintendent of Indigenous Education, in a statement. After Creighton residents were ordered to leave, classes at the local high school were cancelled. Ledoux is hoping for a postponed graduation ceremony for her and her 40 some classmates. The 17-year-old was named valedictorian and was looking forward to reading the speech she prepared three months ago. 'It's something you look forward to growing up,' she said. 'You (make) it to Grade 12, and then last month of school, and all of the sudden, everyone had to go.' The teen considers herself one of the lucky ones. Some of her classmates who live in nearby Denare Beach lost their homes when the blaze ripped through the small village. Infernos in northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba forced tens of thousands from their homes. Recent rain and cooler temperatures have allowed some to return. In Manitoba, the roughly 2,300 people who call Tataskweyak Cree Nation home are still displaced. Keanu Kirkness, 18, has been staying with relatives in Winnipeg for two weeks. Graduation celebrations are scheduled to take place at the end of the month. Whether that happens remains to be seen. 'We were just going to do it in our school gym,' said Kirkness. 'I don't think we're going to do that.' Kirkness's principal encouraged him and some of his classmates to attend Monday's event on the chance that they can share their stories with other graduates. Coming from an isolated, close-knit community, Kirkness said he finds the city and large-scale events crowded but a good opportunity to meet new people. 'I'm feeling alright knowing that I can try to talk to somebody — just to try to get out of my bubble.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025. Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
CBC
7 days ago
- General
- CBC
'A big accomplishment' for Grade 12 students honoured at Winnipeg ceremony for Indigenous, evacuated grads
Social Sharing On Monday, Grade 12 students from evacuated northern Manitoba communities were invited to join a Winnipeg School Division ceremony honouring this year's Indigenous graduates at the University of Winnipeg's Duckworth Centre. Rob Riel, assistant superintendent of Indigenous education with the school division, said extending invitations to evacuees was about being "good neighbours" to youth who would otherwise miss out on an important milestone. "They'd be missing out just on the camaraderie and the celebration of working so hard … You don't want to miss out on that," Riel told CBC's Marcy Markusa on Information Radio Monday morning before the ceremony. "We're just trying to make it as meaningful and celebratory as possible," he said. All evacuated grads from northern Manitoba, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, were welcome to attend, Riel said. The ceremony included a grand entry for graduating students, prayers, opening remarks, an honour song and some dancing. Riel said all participants would be invited to take part in a round dance to heal, honour and celebrate life. Before the ceremony, Deshaun Keeper said he was happy to graduate Monday, but it was a bittersweet moment as many of his family and friends had planned to attend his graduation back home in Tataskweyak Cree Nation. He said many of his loved ones were evacuated to Niagara Falls, Ont. "I'm celebrating today but I wish some family members were here," Keeper said, adding his mother was going to be in the audience. "Some are here, so I'm happy," he said. Trenton Bourassa, a Grade 12 graduate from Tec Voc high school who also achieved a welding diploma, said he was proud to be celebrating with other Indigenous students from across the school division. "I'm sure everybody's happy to be graduating this year and it's a big accomplishment for everyone," he said. Bourassa said he's proud of himself for achieving his goals and reaching this milestone, and he's excited to get there alongside evacuated graduates. "I'm proud of all those students. Up north with all those wildfires, that's a serious situation. I couldn't imagine just being up there and having to graduate … and miss this kind of stuff," Bourassa said. Keeper said he hopes Tataskweyak grads will be able to celebrate together at a later ceremony when evacuees are allowed to return home. "Just a handshake and I'll be happy to go home and enjoy life," Keeper said. The First Nation, also known as Split Lake, declared a state of emergency on May 29 after the community lost power due to a wildfire burning just a kilometre away. An evacuation order was issued the next day.
