APRIL 1, 2019 - On March 19th, Regina Public Schools hosted the second annual Indigenous Student Forum at Division Office. In attendance were trustees from the Regina Public School Board, members of the Elders’ Advisory Council and eight students from each of our high schools. This year, the Indigenous Advocates from Albert, Kitchener, Seven Stones and Thomson Community Schools were also invited to each bring two Grade 8 students to the event.
Ben Ironstand, a teacher at Thom Collegiate, was the keynote speaker and he talked to the audience about resilience and the ability to overcome barriers by connecting with culture and language. Ben’s keynote message served as a starting point to the discussion about four pre-selected focus questions.
The Grades 8-12 students in attendance had a chance to share their thoughts and concerns on topics such as reconciliation, belonging and supports. This event provides an important opportunity to collect Indigenous student opinions through focused conversations around leadership for learning and the climate of belonging. The students’ voices were both compelling and impactful regarding their thoughts and feelings about many relevant issues.
Thank you to everyone, especially the youth for sharing their passionate voices, who made this event a huge success! The comments from all of the students will be collated and presented to the Board of Trustees at a future date.
