In which the Leadership Club Heads to We Day

The Leadership  Club earned spots at this year's National We Day, which was held at the Canadian Tire Centre. The event hosted 16 000 students and teachers who have worked to make a difference locally and globally. It was our first time attending the National We Day, and we certainly hope to be invited again in the future!

It was a really special, emotional, engaging and energizing day for students, staff and parent volunteers alike. We got to hear from Queen Noor of Jordan, MLK Jr's son, Spencer West (a legless adventurer) many youth who have worked with Free the Children, several musicians and other inspiring speakers and entertainers. 

We all got "Swag Bags" that included awesome light bracelets that lit up when we clapped. 

I am so proud of the Leadership Club members for earning their way to the event and for their awesome behaviour the whole day. Our goal was to arrive laden down with food, and some students even had to replace their bags, as they brought so much! 

We wish that all members of the Leadership Club could have joined us, as they've all worked really hard this year! 

Thanks to the staff and parent volunteers for joining us today!

At the end of the day, some students listed their favourite things about the day. I'll let them tell you the story:

"It was really sad to hear about lots of children not being able to have food, or being abused. I'm inspired to change the world." - Erika

"I liked Jen and Jas. Their voices were nice." - Ben

"I liked the Queen, Spencer West and the girl with HIV. Her speech helped me because I have Diabetes, and I realized that everyone has something. Spencer overcame obstacles and he's inspiring." - Katie

"I really liked how the kids talked about a boy who changed the world (Iqbal) and a girl who changed the world (Malala). I really liked what the Queen of Jordan said. I think we should work with Free the Children next year." - Gabby

"Something that really stuck with me was when the man talked about walking across Canada and enjoying nature's beauty. I want to fundraise to help people enjoy nature. I also liked the Queen of Jordan. When she was talking, I was really focused. It was inspiring. She said some things that were sad, but also hopeful." - Vickie

"I liked everyting, but mostly I liked the girl with HIV because she stood up for herself. It was really powerful that they thought she was going to die and now she's a teenager. When the children spoke, they had a lot of emotion and power." - Millie

"The girl who talked about her life with HIV and her brothers and sisters said that there are so many wheelchairs and crutches, words can't get through to us." - Madi

"I liked the girl with HIV's speech. She was really inspirational and very determined." - J

"I really liked the girl who was HIV+. She was really inspiring and she had a lot to say about bullying. It was very helpful and her message could be helpful to many more people." - Fiona

"I liked it all!" - Mel

"I really liked Spencer, because it's amazing he accomplished so much." - Anna

"My favourite moments were when Spencer walked our on stage and when Jordan sang 'Freedom' because it was his first time singing that song. I cried." - Hannah

"I liked when Queen Noor talked about how many kids are in poverty and when Spencer said, 'Find your why'." - Clara

"I loved the lights. Whenever somebody would clap, or when someone said something that really meant something to you, you could see all the lights sparkle." - Laryssa

"I liked everything!" - Molly

"My favourite part was everything!" - Pat

"I really liked the HIV+ girl. She was very open to showing that everyone has a staircase. When you get to the top, you're done and you've reached your goals. She has a couple of extra steps and she embraced that." - Sharky

We Stand Together Daily Fact #6

Daily Fact #6

In the days of the fur traders, the Métis earned a special Cree nickname: "o-tee-paym-soo-wuk," which means "their own boss." They were known for being proud hunters and legendary trailblazers.

Métis History

The Métis were children born from relationships between Aboriginal mothers and European settler fathers. They earned their Cree nickname, “their own boss,” because of their independence and cultural pride, combining their Aboriginal and European backgrounds into a unique cultural identity.
They became trailblazers in the fur trade, adapting European technology to the wilderness and innovating new trade routes. And because of their unique cultural background, they became central to the relationships between settlers and Aboriginal populations.

The Métis are considered to be a unique culture on their own, not simply a mix of First Nations and European settler backgrounds. However, despite hundreds of years of history as a rich, complex culture, the Métis were not recognized as a distinct Aboriginal people until 1982.

We Stand Together Daily Fact #4

(For some reason, I never got Daily Fact #3, so we've skipped from #2 to #4!)


Daily Fact #4

Almost half of non-Aboriginal Canadians living in cities have not heard or read anything about Indian residential schools?

Aboriginal Experiences in Residential Schools
Beginning in the late 1800s, Aboriginal children were removed from their homes and placed in residential schools run by the Canadian government and local churches. The schools attempted
to assimilate and “civilize” the Aboriginal children. Instances of abuse were widespread, and in overcrowded schools, tuberculosis was often deadly. Of the approximately 150,000 children who attended residential schools, at least 3,000 died.
The schools had a devastating effect on many Aboriginal families, which is still felt today. Two-thirds of urban Aboriginal Peoples say they have been affected by the residential schools, either personally or through a family member. In 2008 the Canadian government offered an apology, twelve years after the last residential school closed in 1996. Today, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada works to establish truth, healing and reconciliation in the aftermath of the residential schools.

We Stand Together Daily Fact #2

Daily Fact #2 
Compared to other Canadians, First Nations People’s homes are 90 times more likely to be without running water, and currently 90 First Nations communities cannot drink the water that comes out of their taps.

Water issues in First Nations communities
Access to clean water is usually considered  a problem present only in developing countries, but for some families in Canada, this is a very real issue. Lack of proper infrastructure in First Nations communities has resulted in conditions usually seen only in developing communities. More than 3,000 homes on reserves across Canada lack running water. Two out of five of these homes are in Manitoba. In the Island Lake area of Manitoba, some Aboriginal families subsist on 10 litres of treated water a day per person, plus another 20 litres of untreated river water for laundry. The United Nations considers 50 litres per person the minimum to meet basic needs!
Even when Aboriginal communities have access to running water, it may not be clean enough to drink. Of the more than 600 First Nations communities south of 60 degrees parallel, 90 had a drinking water advisory as of December 31, 2013.

We Stand Together Daily Fact #1

Free the Children is hosting a conversation from Feb 24th-March 7th to raise awareness about aboriginal issues.

Daily Fact #1
Canadian Cree and Métis served as code-keepers for the Allies’ top-secret transmissions during the Second World War, sending and translating messages into Cree and then back into English.
Aboriginal Canadians During the World Wars
First Nations, Inuit and Métis all have a long history of standing beside non-Aboriginals to defend Canada in times of conflict. In fact, despite facing discrimination, one in three First Nations men of military age volunteered during the First World War, serving as soldiers, snipers, sappers and scouts on battlefields across Europe. The war brought together men from First Nations across Canada. Some of the first Aboriginal political organizations formed during this time of Aboriginal pride and solidarity.
When the Second World War broke out, Canada’s Aboriginal population again prepared to fight. At least 3,000 status Indians volunteered (likely many more), and a small number of these soldiers were recruited for a special American initiative. Along with American Navajo, these men became responsible for coding the Allies’ most important messages into the Cree language. The efforts of the Navajo are recounted in the 2002 film Windtalkers, starring Canadian Aboriginal actor Adam Beach from the Saulteaux Nation.
For decades after their service, the experiences of the code-talkers were classified and they could not even speak to their families about their service in the war. The Canadian Aboriginal code-talkers never received recognition, either from the American or Canadian government, for their contributions to the Allies.