I Am Aboriginal campaign builds self-esteem

In an effort to show support and promote Aboriginal culture in elementary and secondary schools, the Rainbow District School Board in Sudbury, Ont., in partnership with Urban Aboriginal Youth Leading The Way and the Eshkiniijig Advisory Circle, has launched a campaign called I am Aboriginal.
Developed in 2007, the I Am Aboriginal campaign asks students and their families to self-identify their Aboriginal affiliation by filling out a voluntary survey and stating if they are First Nations, Metis or Inuit.
There is a larger population of First Nations and Métis students in the area's schools than Inuit, Sharon Speir, superintendent of Education, and Kathy Dokis-Ranney, principal of First Nation, Métis and Inuit education confirmed. But there has been at least one family living within the Rainbow District that identified themselves as Inuit.
As the campaign was being launched, the students were also encouraged to submit videos and posters that explained why they thought this kind of initiative is important.
An information pamphlet for the campaign was developed which contains quotes from some of the students expressing what they would like to have more access to within the schools.
Dakota Recollet who is a student at Lockerby Composite School said, "I feel it is important to identify with your Aboriginal background so you can be proud of where you come from."
Jericho Pettifer, a student from Sudbury Secondary School said "Young Aboriginal people need to know where they came from and to understand the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of their beings."
Instilling a sense of belonging and pride within the youth are just some of the things organizers hope to achieve with this campaign.
Dokis-Ranney and Speir hope the campaign will help in heightening graduation rates within the schools' Aboriginal population.
Another hope that was expressed by both Speir and Dokis-Ranney is that the campaign will help to engage non-Aboriginal students to learn about the history, culture and languages of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.
"We do see some people who are not Aboriginal wondering, 'can we learn too'," said Dokis-Ranney. "There is more work to be done to grow the interest there."
This campaign, said Speir, is the first step to providing support in celebrating culture and diversity.
As of now, Ojibwe is the only Aboriginal language students are learning, but the organizers do hope the resources to teach other Aboriginal languages will be available in the future.
As part of the campaign there have been a series of Aboriginal youth leadership activities involving all of the secondary schools in the district, to help build self-esteem and a sense of identity.
"It was an absolutely amazing outdoor education component," said Dokis-Ranney. "Traditional survival skills, cooking on the fire, traditional foods, and traditional games. They also made their own shelters on the land. It took place at Whitefish Lake First Nation."