Walk for Wenjack

The Youth in Motion Club of Champlain Discovery Public School in Pembroke, ON, planned and led a school-wide Walk for Wenjack. Classes took turns walking in the bus loop with their Every Child Matters and DWF flags. Students in the K-8 school also designed footprints in Chanie’s honour and displayed them around their school. 

Youth-led Cultural Exchange Event

Youth Ambassador Justin, who is the founder of the Indigenous youth-led organization, O’Kanata, was looking for ways to better connect youth from throughout the Winnipeg area. During his ReconciliACTION Project planning, Justin developed a plan for a youth-led cultural exchange event.

The event bridged the gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities through workshops and demonstrations presented by local leaders, dialogue circles to share personal experiences and perspectives, and hands-on learning opportunities. By focusing on youth, Justin’s goal was to instill values of reconciliation and cultural appreciation for the next generation while fostering empathy, solidarity, and connection. Justin hoped it would also create a sense of inclusivity for underrepresented groups within Winnipeg and empower youth to lead the way for a brighter future.

Indigenous Language Revitalization

Youth Ambassador Leah’s ReconciliACTION Project was inspired by a trip she took to Nunavut, where she was approached by a young student who introduced themselves in Inuktitut. While at the time she understood the written language, she was unable to understand the spoken language, which led to their conversation being spoken in English.

Recognizing the importance of language revitalization and its ties to culture, Leah picked up a free set of Inuktitut flashcards from the local library. The flashcards helped Leah to work on her pronunciation and understanding of Inuktitut and led to her ReconciliACTION Project, which encourages all peoples in Canada to learn local Indigenous languages through free language flashcards.

Leah’s ReconciliACTION Project started in Yellowknife, where she teaches, and focused on the nine different local languages through partnership with local educators and community members. Once the words were selected, they engaged with local Indigenous artists to create artwork for each card. Leah is working to make this free resource available in local libraries and online to ensure it is accessible for all, with the hope that the project will spread to all communities throughout Canada.

Accessible Elder Parking

By designating accessible parking spaces for Elders close to the entrances of their Legacy Spaces, St. Lawrence College (SLC) is creating a more welcoming and respectful pathway for engagement and relationship-building with Indigenous peoples and communities.

Shannon Hall, Education Developer and Curriculum Consultant of Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being at SLC, explains, “Incorporating designated Elder parking spaces at SLC reflects our commitment to creating a more inclusive, decolonized learning environment. These parking spaces, which are meant to complement our Legacy Spaces, recognize that learning is not confined to classrooms but extends to every corner of our environment, including the spaces we share and shape. By honouring Elders and Knowledge Keepers with priority parking, we signal our deep respect for the cultural wisdom and teachings they bring. Our communities often have limited access to Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and we want them to feel safe, valued, and welcome here, free from the burden of parking fees that can be a barrier to their contributions. This initiative reminds us to rethink our approach to educational spaces, challenging the norms of accessibility and emphasizing the importance of Elder inclusion in ways that honour Indigenous protocols and cultural values. We hope this step inspires other institutions to consider how they, too, can transform their spaces to support and respect Elders as essential carriers of knowledge!”

Walk for Wenjack

Sheppard Public School in Kitchener, ON, completed their annual Walk for Wenjack on October 23, 2024. Many classes participated in the walk and collectively fundraised $525! Grade 5 students made posters to hold up while walking around their school and were able to engage with the local community. They also went out for a second walk with their kindergarten buddies! The kindergarten students loved the attention and found meaning in the walk through their buddies, posters, and togetherness.

Abenaki Language Club

Grade 3 and 4 students at Sherbrooke Vision Preparatory School in Sherbrooke, QC, decided to participate in an Abenaki Language Club to engage in language revitalization efforts and learn the original language of the community. Club meetings were held each Friday in April and May. They were lucky to receive guests from the Abenaki Museum in Odanak and Abenaki speakers from Bishop’s University and Champlain College to teach them words and correct pronunciation. 

School ReconciliACTIONs

Grimshaw Public School in Grimshaw, AB, participated in various reconciliACTIONs throughout the school year! At the beginning of June, Grade 1 and 2 students participated in a spring medicine walk. Elementary students also learned how to lace, flesh, and scrape a moose hide with Soul Dachuk. Later, students took part in celebrating Indigenous History Month by attending a school-wide assembly which included: the national anthem sung in Cree, the Métis Anthem sung by Cassie Vreeling (a local Métis woman), traditional dancing, and storytelling. Students learned how to call a moose, then participated in a moose calling competition. In the afternoon, they honoured their Indigenous graduates with an eagle feather and sash, followed by a feast. 

Annual Indigenous Movie Night

In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, TAS and the Walmer Road Baptist Church began hosting an annual movie night following the launch of their Legacy Space in 2023. Working with the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show, their team selects a variety of films by Indigenous creators and offers free snacks and seating to the public.

They also created an Orange Ribbon Memorial, inviting community members to tie an orange ribbon at the site in honour of the children who never returned home from residential schools, as well as the Survivors, their families, and communities.

The Walmer Legacy Space is the first public-facing outdoor Legacy Space, and many community members pass by the memorial and reflect each day. The space also features a mural on the doors of the church by Métis artist Dani Kastelein from Brook McIlroy Architects’ Indigenous Design Studio, and an urban crate farm run by Bowery Project, which offers Indigenous medicines and other plants to those in need. 

Walk for Wenjack

The St. Benedict Bears from Sudbury, ON, participated in a Walk for Wenjack as part of their commitment as a Legacy School. 
 
They created signage that teaches students about the history of residential schools, Chanie Wenjack’s story, and the Spanish Residential School, where many Indigenous people from the area were forced to attend. Spanish Residential School is only about an hour drive west from the City of Greater Sudbury. The signage ends with a challenge to #DoSomething to take reconciliACTION and a reminder that every student is valued, important, and has a voice. 

Orange Shirt Design & Proceeds

For the second year in a row, Joe Fresh partnered with an Indigenous artist to design an orange shirt, with 100% of the proceeds from the sales going to DWF.  

For 2025, they partnered with Morningstar (Alanah Astehtsi̲’ Otsistóhkwaˀ Jewell), a proud, self-taught Indigenous artist and Bear Clan member from Oneida Nation of the Thames.  

Pathfinders is Morningstar’s interpretation of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation—a place between sadness and celebration, honouring those we’ve lost while holding space for love, community, and belonging. 

Since 2024, Joe Fresh has donated $100K to DWF and raised awareness of our work. 

Indigenous Heritage Night

Toronto Rock Lacrosse, a registered third-party fundraiser, has raised over $45,000 for DWF since 2023. Each year they host an Indigenous Heritage Night, featuring a silent auction of jerseys, helmets, and shorts, while acknowledging and bringing awareness to the origins of lacrosse. 

Artist Ambassador Workshop

Grade 7 students at Truro Middle School in Truro, NS, had the privilege of meeting virtually with Indigenous artist and storyteller Suzette Amaya through an Artist Ambassador Workshop.

Students listened to Suzette’s engaging stories about Indigenous culture on the West Coast while enjoying a traditional snack of salmon and dill on crackers with seaweed — a highlight for many. With her guidance, they created Button Blankets featuring a tree to represent their own life stories. Along the way, they learned about the cultural significance and symbolism of the blankets, sparking meaningful reflection.

After meeting with Suzette, students were so engaged that the project continued over the next two weeks in small working sessions. This extended time gave them the chance to work with care and creativity while continuing rich conversations about culture, reconciliation, and empathy.

The impact of the experience extended beyond the classroom, with other educators visiting to see the blankets in progress and ask questions to deepen their understanding. Inspired by the workshop, another teacher at Truro Middle School plans to use the leftover materials to bring the project to her own students next year.

This workshop was a powerful example of cross-curricular learning in action — blending art, culture, history, and personal storytelling — and will remain a highlight of the school year for both students and staff.