Holly Richard

Brooklin High School, Brooklin (Ontario)

Holly Richard’s students engage in a wide variety of academic and co-curricular activities meant to deepen their awareness of the connections between First Nation, Métis, and Inuit histories and cultures. The activities help students develop 21st century learning skills and empowers them to take a lead in educating their community. Leadership activities include student-led educational projects such as workshops on the legacy of the Residential School System, presentations on indigenous perspectives in Canadian History and most notably, the publication and distribution of a magazine that explicitly connects culture and history with current issues faced by First Nations communities. These activities are part of a program called Reconciliation in Action, a year-long, multi-phase project that culminates in a federally-funded youth exchange between students from the Durham Region and from First Nations communities. The program connects past events to present realities in an effort to work toward a positive future in Canada.