Grade 10 and 11 students at St. Joseph’s Scollard Hall took part in an Indigenous educational event at the school Monday morning.
Students are being urged to challenge themselves and to share the parts of their life that make them the most enthusiastic. For Indigenous people, this is also known as finding your spark.
“I think a lot of people don’t know about the spark and the Indigenous traditions with the spark,” said Grace Couchie, Indigenous student trustee at St. Joseph Scollard Hall.
“I think it’s very important to know that drugs and alcohol can dim your spark. There’s also things to help build it up, and to create good relationships in your life.”
While numerous educational Indigenous events have taken place at the school recently, staff told CTV News students need to continue to learn about the past and what can be done for the future.
“We want to be people who are continuously collaborating and working in harmony and working for the good of all,” Katherine Zapalla, a world religions teacher at St. Joseph Scollard Hall.
“To listen to each other, encourage that spark in one another, and whatever you do, don’t contribute to things that diminish people’s sparks.”
Couchie also hopes events like Mondays will continue to happen at her school.
“I think it’s really important because reconciliation isn’t just a one-time thing — it needs to go on and it needs to continue,” she said.
“We didn’t have many activities or things in the school, but I think I’ve started quite a bit. We’ve started Orange Shirt Day, and Treaty Week, and now things like this, we also had an Indigenous speakers week within the month of April … So, I think it’s getting better and it’s really exciting to see.”
