durhamregion.com 4 The Citizen November 17, 2016 Tim Whittaker - Publisher Mike Johnston - Regional Managing Editor Fred Eismont - Director of Advertising Abe Fakhourie - Distribution Manager Cheryl Haines - Composing Manager CLASSIFIEDS 905-215-0442 ADVERTISING 905-215-0472 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1H 7L5 Member: Ontario Press Council, OCNA, CCNA, LMA. All content copyright. A Metroland Media Group Ltd. Publication Justin Greaves / Metroland Lest we forget BROOKLIN -- Horace Everett, Royal Canadian Navy veteran, laid a wreath for the Beethoven Lodge No. 165 during the Brooklin Royal Canadian Legion Branch 152's Re- membrance Day service at Luther Vipond Memorial Arena cenotaph on Nov. 11. ron Pietroniro / Metroland St. Leo's students keeping Brooklin green BROOKLIN -- Students and staff at St. Leo Catholic School took part in a special tree-planting ceremony as part of their commitment to EcoSchools and an initiative to keep the community green. This will also be part of the school's outdoor classroom. "What we're framing reconciliation as is the recipe for bridging the social, cultural, and historical gaps between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians," says Richard, one of six winners of the 2016 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. "I personally believe that the answer to the question of (how to achieve) reconciliation is, first of all, by engaging youth in the process." The Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching is administered by national charitable organization, Canada's History, to celebrate leadership and innovation in educating young people about Canada's past. The year-long, multi-phase reconciliation project includes student-led educational initiatives such as workshops on the legacy of the residential school system, presentations on indigenous perspectives in Canadian history, as well as the publication and distribution of a magazine that links culture and history with current issues faced by First Nations communities. The program culminates in a federally funded youth exchange between local students and First Nations communities in other parts of Canada. Richard, who lives in Toronto and has taught in Durham for eight years (previously at Ajax High School), says it was a combination of her personal interest and being in the right place at the right time that drew her to the subject. "When we started the indigenous studies program at Ajax High School, there was a real push at the board level and at the ministry level to begin to make sure that we are including indigenous voices in the education system, and so there was extra funding to start up an indigenous studies program," she says. "I was involved because I have indigenous ancestry myself; I'm Metis but I had never really had the chance to explore that part of my identity." The program allows students to develop a deeper understanding of the history of indigenous people, while also empowering them to take on leadership roles to educate others in their community, Richard says. "It's the kind of program that engages students that may not otherwise be that engaged in school. Often, they very much see themselves as underdogs in society, so when they learn more about the connections between past events and current realities, they can relate to the struggles in ways that other people perhaps can't." Richard says she cried when she heard she had won the prestigious teaching award. The program has already been a rewarding experience for her, both personally and professionally, she explains. "It has been life-changing for me as an educator, as well as a person; I've found my calling, I guess you could say," she says, adding that one of the most fulfilling aspects of the project has been witnessing its impact on the students. "Going to a reservation and meeting the little kids and speaking with elders, participating in cultural activities but also just seeing the social realities -- the stray dogs, unmaintained roads, run-down houses, that kind of thing -- one of the most powerful things that I've noticed is that my youth will have a new perspective on their own challenges," says Richard. "They gain a new appreciation for what they have ... and they also become these passionate advocates for First Nations issues, gaining a new understanding of their own privilege but also saying, 'OK now what can I do to help level the playing field in the future?' and that's reconciliation. It's been incredibly powerful." National award presented annually to educators who excel in teaching Canadian history From page 1 Jason liebreGts / Metroland BROOKLIN -- Holly Richard, history teacher at Brooklin High School, will receive the Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching on Nov. 28.