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Sault welcomes Ojibway spiritual leader, education minister

MEDIA RELEASE ALGOMA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ************************* ADSB hosts North East Regional Aboriginal Symposium this week at Shingwauk Hall On Thursday and Friday, May 8 and 9, the Algoma District School Board (ADSB) is hosting the North Eas
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MEDIA RELEASE

ALGOMA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

************************* ADSB hosts North East Regional Aboriginal Symposium this week at Shingwauk Hall

On Thursday and Friday, May 8 and 9, the Algoma District School Board (ADSB) is hosting the North East Regional Aboriginal Symposium at Shingwauk Hall, Algoma University College.

Leaders from school boards and Aboriginal communities from all over northern Ontario will be joining us for this two-day event.

In addition, we are pleased to welcome the Honourable Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne, who will address participants of the symposium early in the evening on Thursday at the Water Tower Inn.

The theme of the North East Regional Aboriginal Symposium is Educating our Educators, Educating our Students. An Aboriginal Focus.

Opening remarks will be provided at 9 a.m. on Thursday by ADSB Director of Education Mario Turco, Batchewana First Nation Chief Dean Sayers, Garden River First Nation Chief Lyle Sayers and Brent Hale of Métis Nation of Ontario.

The key note speaker is Eddie Benton-Banai, a respected Ojibway educator, storyteller and spiritual leader, who has also been a college professor in world religions.

He is scheduled to speak at 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

Eddie is a full-blooded Wisconsin Ojibway of the Fish Clan.

He is a pioneer in culture-based curriculum/ Indian alternative education, believing that education should be built on one's heritage and cultural identity, and should encourage spirituality, creativity, and cultural pride.

He founded the Red School House, an Indian-controlled school for children K-12 located in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is one of the original founders of the American Indian Movement, an influential movement that has led to self-identity, pride and revival of American Indian culture for the last generation of Anishinabe people.

He was the American Indian Movement's spiritual leader and is also the Academic/Spiritual Advisor for Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig/Shingwauk University here in Sault Ste. Marie.

ADSB, along with our local Aboriginal partners, elders and mentors will provide a variety of workshops over the two days.

Below is just a sampling of the sessions which will be available for participants: - Sharing Circles with Willard Pine: participants will have an opportunity to ask questions, share and reflect on the traditional way of communicating.

- Cultural Camps with Bernadette Shawanda: effective relationship building skills with First Nation People identifies learning protocols of First Nation People today. - Kinomaage-Aki with Mark Robinson, Sheila Nyman and Joanne Boyer: participants will hear how students' success has increased due to the initiation of an Aboriginal mentor in school.

- Ethical Space with John Hodson and Catherine Longboat: research based information on the success of students and schools who have initiated an Aboriginal room in their schools.

Thursday evening will include entertainment provided by Sierra Noble at the Water Tower Inn.

At 18 years of age, Sierra is a world-class, Métis fiddler. She creates her distinct sound by unifying cultures, Métis and Celtic; and musical genres, world beat and roots jazz. Sierra dedicates much time and energy into preserving the Métis culture by learning the traditional styles of fiddling and jigging and passing it on to youth all across Canada through schools and community workshops.

In fact on Wednesday, May 7, Sierra will be performing for hundreds of ADSB students at White Pines Collegiate, at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Each performance is one hour. *************************


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