Director of Education for The Keewatin Patricia District School Board Sherri Lynne Pharand, MP Eric Melillo, Machin Mayor Gordon Griffiths and Vice Chair of the Board for Machin, Roger Griffiths with Grade 7/8 students and staff at Lillian Berg.
Grade 7/8 students at Lillian Berg School in Vermillion Bay continue to be recognized for their efforts towards reconciliation.
The class received a Heritage Grants for the McIntosh Indian Residential School Site and MP Eric Melillo congratulated students with certificates on Friday.
“I feel it’s tremendously important to make this recognition for the work they’re doing. It’s so important that we keep our education going surrounding Canada’s history, the good parts and the bad parts, as well as remembering residential schools and the lasting impacts they’ve had.”
Student Darius Pilipishen feels strongly about the effort to further truth and reconciliation.
MP Eric Melillo presenting Lillian Berg School Principal, Doris St. Jules, a certificate of acknowledgment.
“I think it’s really important to me because I’m part of the Indigenous culture myself and it feels really great to honour my ancestors and know they’re being recognized for all the stuff they went through.”
Another student, Berkley Delorme says they hope to keep the conversation about residential schools going.
“I feel that it’s important that more people, like Eric (and more politicians) know what we’re doing (making efforts towards reconciliation) to raise awareness.”
With the newly obtained grant, Grade 7/8 teacher Shannon Elliot says the work isn’t stopping here with plans already underway for Orange Shirt Day.
“It feels really good to know that this important work is being recognized and hopefully it will inspire others to do more as well. Our plan for next year, in hoping there’s less COVID restrictions is that we bring people, students, staff and interested community members out to the McIntosh Residential School memorial site to host our Orange Shirt Day assembly out there, in cooperation with Grassy Narrows First Nation to commemorate that important day.”
Elliot adds she has a dedicated group of students that are committed to learning about the impacts of residential schools to further truth and reconciliation.
The class also participated in Walk for Wenjack in October, walking from the memorial site back to the Vermillion Bay school.
Grade 7/8 Teacher Shannon Elliot with students reading a land acknowledgment.
