The department of Curriculum and Instruction and the School of Education and Professional Studies at the State University of Potsdam, NY, invited Project of Heart to their satellite campus at Dominican University College (Ottawa) to deliver a hands-on, interactive session. Under the guidance of Professor Shelley Jones, elementary school teacher Lynn Rainboth, shared her experiences with the Masters of Science in Teaching (Childhood) Program students. As the students worked their way through the various parts of Project of Heart, Indian Residential School Survivor Irene Lindsay, talked to the students in a most frank, yet understanding way about her family’s experiences and her own personal experiences, at the Indian Residential School in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan. They were fortunate to hear Irene tell a story about her experience with learning about the power of tobacco.

The Potsdam students were able to experience a smudging ceremony, and watched as their beautiful tiles were cleansed.  Students were also invited to sign the Kairos petition urging Canada to implement the United Nations Declaration to Defend the Rights of Indigenous Peoples , as well as the Amnesty International petition to Stop Violence Against Indigenous Women.

Project of Heart has arrived in the Wild Rose Province!

Paul First Nation School, near Duffield, Alberta, is excited to have their grade 6/7 class engaging in Project of Heart as it relates to the history of their own relatives.

Not only will this be the first time Project of Heart is undertaken in Alberta, this will be the first time that it will be taught on a First Nation; this marks an exciting new chapter for the project. We are honoured to be working with the teachers and students at Paul F.N. as they commemorate the students who lost their lives while attending the Red Deer Industrial School.

This is a beginning of much more to come for Project of Heart and students in Alberta Schools.

Google satellite image of Peawanuck, Northern Ontario - population 250

As the social justice component of their Project of Heart learning module, students from G.L. Roberts in Oshawa, Ontario raised $400.00 for the family of Charlie Hunter, a 13 year old Cree student who drowned while at Indian Residential School in Moosonee. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1042121–charlie-hunter-s-finally-home-with-his-family

Shelley Diamond, the native studies teacher whose students make the crafts and raised the money through direct sales both at their school as well as at a two day Metis Celebration in downtown Oshawa, had this to say about their fund-raising experience:

“People even donated money without buying sometimes. This blew the students away! It was a great way for them to learn the power of words and the importance of communication. They really enjoyed when they could tell the story to strangers and have them understand too!”

Huge congratulations to the students and their teacher, at G.L.Roberts! When bureaucracy wouldn’t do the right thing, you helped make Charlie’s family’s dream come a reality. May you now rest in peace, Charlie Hunter.

–

In June of 2010 a Peace and Social Awareness committee member of the Canadian Mennonite University  was inspired by Project of Heart’s presence at the First National Event of the TRC in Winnipeg, and contacted us so that the PSAC committe and the wider student body might learn more about their own community’s role in the history of the Indian Residential Schools. A partnership was born, and this past academic year the CMU’s involvement with Project of Heart was facilitated by Coreen Froese, a student at the Shaftesbury campus of the University.

Poplar Hill  IRS was run by the Northern Gospel Light Mission, a mission of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference, so for Froese it felt like it was a “good fit” for her and her fellow students to learn more about it, and to put their learning into action.

Froese contacted Elder Wally Swain, a cultural worker who has worked with many IRS survivors in Manitoba, and who agreed to smudge the tiles upon their completion. Neill and Edith vonGunten, former co-leaders of Native Ministry for the Mennonite Church of Canada and active promoters of cross-cultural relationship building, were there to witness the ceremonial smudge which took place at the Manitoba Indigenous Cultural Education Centre.

Participants chose to learn about the epidemic of violence against Aboriginal women in Canada, and took action by signing the Amnesty International petition “No More Stolen Sisters”. Ekosi to the students at the Canadian Mennonite University!

Editor’s note: This report reaches us from Port Perry (Ontario) High School teacher Nancy Hamer-Strahl:

The CBC was at Port Perry High Schools Thursday, March 24th and June 3rd 2011. They came to film our Grade 12 French Immersion History class and the Grade 10 Canadian History class participating in Project of Heart. The CBC was very interested in the work the student had produced. Producer Nathalie Bibeau had this to say about the documentary series:

The CBC and Radio-Canada are producing a 4-part series on Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples. More than 500 years after first crossing paths, the relationship remains very troubled by misunderstandings, injustice and inequality. The series will look at the best ideas for moving forward to creating a new partnership in Confederation. The first episode of this series will focus on the questions of why we need to fix the relationship and some ideas on how to begin that process. As part of this effort, we would like to film a scene at Port Perry High School with the students who are participating in the Project of Heart with Mrs. Nancy Hamer Strahl. The project illustrates a very positive way to bridge the gap between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals by educating young people about residential schools and related issues which contribute to the situation today. It is certainly an excellent example of the way forward to a better understanding of each other.

Congratulations to the students of Port Perry High School – once again you have proven that your work is worthy of national attention!

Teachers Garrett Metcalfe from Durham Alternative Secondary School, Paul Scanga from O’Neill C.V.I., Stephen Rhody from Donald A. Wilson Secondary School, Rene Bursey from Pickering High School, Nick Lezetc from J.Clarke Richardson Collegiate Institute, and Deborah Keeler from Pierre Elliott Trudeau Public School all participated in honouring the lives of children lost due to the Indian Residential School experience in Canada. Continue reading →