Hundreds of educators and supporters of Indigenous education from across Canada will gather at a ceremony in Toronto, Ontario on November 4 to celebrate the recipients of the 2016 Guiding the Journey: Indigenous Educator Awards. The awards, presented by Indspire - the largest funder of Indigenous education outside the federal government, and recognize the achievements of outstanding educators of Indigenous students.
Guiding the Journey honourees are acknowledged for having innovative teaching practices; advocating for updated resources and more cultural teachings in the curriculum; and helping Indigenous students reach their full potential.
The ten recipients of 2016 Guiding the Journey: Indigenous Educator Awards are as follows:
- Community Service - Ivan Augustine, New Brunswick
- Partner in Indigenous Education - Elizabeth Barrett, British Columbia
- Innovative Practice - Pauline McKay, Saskatchewan
- Culture, Language and Traditions - Thomas Deer, Ontario
- Culture, Language and Traditions - Eileen Lucas, Alberta
- Leadership - Denise Augustine, British Columbia
- Leadership - Lois Phillipp, Northwest Territories
- Role Model - Wade Houle, Manitoba
- Role Model - Kieran Mc Monagle, Ontario
- Indigenous Organization Award - South Slave Divisional Education Council, Northwest Territories
"These educators are exemplary in their innovation and dedication to helping First Nation, Inuit, and Métis children and youth succeed," said Roberta Jamieson, President and CEO of Indspire. "They are creating lasting change in the communities they serve and enriching the field of Indigenous education through their contributions."
The Guiding the Journey gala is part of Indspire's National Gathering for Indigenous Education, a conference taking place November 4-5 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Ontario. Over 800 attendees from across the country are expected to take part in more than seventy workshops and presentations during the two-day conference, which will focus celebrating and exploring our rich Indigenous cultures, traditions, and histories; this conference engages educators, and community partners to collaborate for student success. For more information about the 2016 National Gathering for Indigenous Education, visit indspire.ca/national-gathering.
Indspire thanks its presenting corporate sponsors, Suncor Energy Foundation and Suncor Energy Inc., for their support of the Guiding the Journey awards and the National Gathering for Indigenous Education.
"The Awards not only celebrate the accomplishments of our educators, they highlight the critical role they play in supporting high school completion of Indigenous youth, which is vitally important, not only to the students and Indigenous communities, but to the whole of Canada," said Cathy Glover, Director of Community Investment at Suncor. "Congratulations to each of the recipients. It is an honour to be part of a celebration that recognizes such exceptional individuals."
