On Thursday, March 20, the White Bear Education Complex hosted a career fair to encourage youth to begin planning for the future.
Though 15 different presenters were supposed to be in attendance, freezing rain and icy roads resulted in seven organizations attending. Despite fewer displays than they had expected the event was still a success as youth were given the opportunity to learn about different career paths offered from the RCMP and Canadian Forces to attending university or SIAST to working at the Bear Claw Casino.
An amplitude of options were still presented to the youth of White Bear as they sat through presentations and perused displays set up in the school gymnasium.
Beginning at 10 a.m., the Honour Song was performed with Bucky Strongeagle, a grade 12 student, who carried the eagle staff leading the group of presenters into the gym, which held much meaning for many in the school.
Following the Honour Song, Elder Josh Kakakeway said a prayer to open the event, while Lyndon Linklater with the Office of the Treaty Commission was asked to say a few words as the keynote speaker.
Principal Bird explained that students are given as many opportunities as possible over the years they attend the White Bear Education Complex to learn and grow as individuals, while the career fair is simply a way to help them discover their passion.
"[the career fair is] where the students get the opportunity to see various ways they can continue their education," Bird said. "This is also a time to celebrate our culture. We have Bucky Strongeagle here, a grade 12 graduate, he's wearing the eagle feather hat it's a celebration of the future after graduation. The eagle staff also represents the pride the First Nations people have in our cultural activities."
Linklater explained that high school was an important step on the road to self discovery as it provides education and opportunities otherwise unavailable.
Linklater said, "You know you're starting to mature, you're getting older, and I know for a fact that your mom's and dad's or mushum's and kokum's are getting tired of 'I need some money.' So what you've got to start thinking about is your future and in order to move along in life, just like everybody here, you're going to need a job. You're going to need to find employment, but in order for you to get a good job you're going to need to finish your high school."
Linklater also explained that maintaining culture and encouraging today's youth to become leaders of tomorrow is very important. He encouraged students to grow and mature in order to discover their passion while helping raise the First Nations people from their current status.
"A long time ago our ancestors entered into treaty with the Crown in right of Canada and what they talked about was a vision for the future," Linklater said. "And our leaders thought long and hard about the children that were yet unborn and they wanted things for their children. Today, now, things did not turn out the way they had envisioned. Too many of our young people do not finish their high school, [they are] getting into trouble with the law, getting involved with drugs and alcohol problems. Too many of our young people occupy the correctional facilities and that's not what our ancestors had in mind, that's simply not what they had in mind."
" And we're not meant to be poor, we're not meant to be on welfare, that's not our way. So you have an opportunity in front of you and there's so many people here today willing to help you find your own path, to find your own journey and to succeed. So, I want to encourage each and every one of you to finish your education and to stay away from the bad things in life and to walk down a good road and to try and fulfill that vision our ancestors had when they entered into treaty with the Crown one day we will take our rightful place in our country here because once upon a time we had everything."
Linklater said that the First Nations people have struggled since these treaties and are now relying on the next generation to help lead them into a better life as their elders and families have helped to bring change about already.
" We were at the top," Linklater said. "There was no such thing as poverty, no such thing as suicide, no such thing as alcohol and drug problems, violence problems. Those things didn't exist and we were so strong and we had our culture, our language, our traditions, our ceremonies, and I'm so impressed to see this young man carrying the eagle staff, wearing the eagle bonnet, and to smell the sweet grass as I walked into the building."
"It's such a beautiful thing to see. You don't know this, but once upon a time your grandparents or even your parents, they weren't allowed to do those things because of the systems that were put in place, they prevented us from practicing our identity but that's changing now. We're still here as a people and we will continue to be here as a people and flourish; but, we need you young people to stand with us and to be leading us."
His inspiring words were finished as he again encouraged the youth to finish high school and follow their hearts: "Follow the good road and do what's right and you'll fulfill that vision our ancestors had and one day we will all be so much better."
