Well folks, spring is finally starting to show its beautiful face around Calgary! Flowers are starting to poke up and trees are starting to bud. We still see the odd snow storm (it is Calgary, after all) but it is noticeably longer days and nicer weather overall!
Most application deadlines for post-secondary institutions in Alberta have passed, or they are about to! If you are interested in attending a post-secondary institution in September 2014, you should check with your desired institution to see if they are still accepting applications ASAP.
New information for the admission cycle (September 2015) usually starts to come out in the summer, so keep checking websites for new and updated information.
This is also an exciting time of year because we get to celebrate the successes of the graduating students all across Alberta. Many institutions host Aboriginal graduate powwows or other celebrations, and most are open to the public! Check your local post-secondary websites to see if there is a celebration event happening near you.
In National news, Shawn Atleo has resigned as the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). He has referenced the community resistance to the First Nations Education Act (FNEA) as one of the reasons for stepping down. The AFN has yet to announce a successor as this is the first time a National Chief has resigned.
The final Truth and Reconciliation event was hosted in Edmonton, AB at the end of March and the final reports should be released on their website in the near future. Thousands of statements have been collected and the healing journey continues as the federal government has finally agreed to release the thousands of documents related to Residential Schools to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Locally, the recent deaths of five young students sent a shockwave through the city of Calgary, and in particular the post-secondary community. While there are no words to explain this tragedy, it was heartwarming to see the schools come together to support our respective students. No matter what school you work at or attend, we are all one community, united in supporting students in all aspects of their lives.The memories of the five victims will endure through their accomplishments, and in the lives they touched.
Finally, this is the last blog for the 2013-2014 school year. We will be meeting later this month to decide on who will carry forward the work of AARN, and expect that these blog postings will continue. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to share with you this year!
Miigwetch,
Amber Shilling and Tori McMillan
