Conference inspires local Indigenous youth to become future leaders

More than one hundred Indigenous youth from Red Deer Public Schools and Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools took part in a conference that allowed them to learn, connect, and be inspired by Indigenous leaders in their community.

The Inspiring Success Youth Conference, sponsored by We Matters, took place on May 10 at Red Deer Polytechnic.

Grade 8 students from across both school divisions had the opportunity to meet new friends who they will attend high school with, reconnect with peers in their current school, and build a deeper sense of strength, belonging, identity, and pride in their Indigenous heritage.

“We were very excited to bring this opportunity to Indigenous youth in Grade 8,” said Hayley Christen, Learning Services Coordinator with Red Deer Public Schools. “It was an excellent opportunity for them to meet new friends and connect with other Indigenous youth in Central Alberta. We wanted the young people to know they are not alone and we also hope the connections they make today will carry forward when they go on to high school. This was a fun, engaging, and meaningful day for all the youth involved!”

Throughout the day, youth were able to participate in 10 different sessions that included topics on goal setting, student success, resilience, Reconciliation, and Indigenous games, along with the opportunity to hear the personal journeys of several Indigenous mentors and leaders.

“This conference has been a beautiful event for the students to witness firsthand the success of other Indigenous people in the local community and come together to connect with Indigenous Grade 8 students,” said Selena Frizzley, Coordinator of Indigenous Education Services with Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools. “We had students attend from Rocky Mountain House, Olds, Innisfail and Red Deer. Students left feeling empowered and hopeful after gaining traditional teachings from Elders and Knowledge Keepers.”

“We were thrilled to collaborate with Red Deer Public and Catholic School Divisions, in conjunction with several community groups, to host central Alberta Indigenous youth for Inspiring Success Youth Conference at Red Deer Polytechnic,” said Kylie Thomas, Red Deer Polytechnic Vice President, Academic and Provost. “We are extremely proud of the leadership roles that RDP Indigenous learners, including keynote speaker Logan Beauchamp, and Polytechnic staff assumed throughout the planning and delivery of this impactful conference. The collective efforts from all partners has helped to inspire Indigenous youth both in and out of the classroom.”

“This conference was a way to introduce Indigenous youth to positive role models from their own community. It was also a great way to introduce these youth to more aspects of our cultures, something that a lot of Indigenous youth feel disconnected from,” said Logan Beauchamp, Ambassador of Hope with We Matters. “As well, we were able to highlight some resources and organizations that are doing great things in our community that these youth can access. Most importantly, this conference was hopefully able to help these youth create their own definition of success and help them envision and plan how they can get there”

Related Topics:#InspiringSuccessYouthConference #WeMatters

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Our sweetest success yet: Smile Cookie Campaign breaks record

Published on June 11, 2025

Red Deer Public Schools

Just when we thought our smiles couldn’t get any bigger – they did! And we have the Red Deer community to thank for their overwhelming support.

We are so excited to share the total from the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign this past spring…and it’s very impressive. In fact, it’s an all-time record, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Over the long-week campaign held April 28-May 4, Red Deerians indulged in a lot of cookies – $80,773 worth! These funds will go directly to helping struggling readers become readers of potential through Reading College, a project of The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools.

Reading College, held each July, provides students with identified reading gaps an incredible summer experience that builds their skills, confidence, and love for reading. Students leave the program with stronger reading and writing abilities, and a solid foundation for success in school and life. Now in its 14th year, 1,000 students have graduated from Reading College.

“We continue to be amazed by the generosity of our community and the partnership with Tim Hortons,” said Kristine Plastow, Board Chair for The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. “These dollars directly impact kids who need extra support to become confident readers. The difference this program makes is life-changing.”

Tanya Doucette, Tim Hortons Restaurant Owner in Red Deer, said it’s incredible to see what can happen when a community comes together. The simple act of purchasing a cookie by so many amazing guests, makes a huge difference for young students right here in Red Deer.

“This record-breaking year shows how much our guests care. We are so pleased to support Reading College and help give students the tools they need to thrive,” she said.

Red Deer

Red Deer Student honoured with Chief Youth Courage Award

Published on June 10, 2025

Red Deer Public Schools

When you meet Brayden Chenier, a Grade 8 student at GH Dawe School, it’s clear why he’s been chosen to represent youth across Alberta. Brayden is the proud recipient of the Integrated School Support Program Provincial (ISSP) Chief Youth Courage Award, presented by the Calgary Police Youth Foundation, in recognition of his resilience, leadership and commitment to his community.

The award celebrates students who demonstrate courage and dedication to becoming a responsible and caring citizen, especially within a diverse school and community, and was presented earlier this spring at the Calgary Police Awards Gala. As part of the honour, Brayden will now serve as a youth ambassador, helping to raise awareness about child and youth crime prevention, education, and intervention programs across the province.

“It’s pretty surreal that I will be all over the province for a year,” said Brayden. “I am looking forward to helping out in the community.”

Brayden has been part of the ISSP program through GH Dawe School since 2023 and has benefited greatly from the support offered.

With the support of the mental health professional, Brayden has been able to successfully navigate a variety of challenges in his life including coming to terms with his disability and navigating a tragic loss in his life.

Born with clubfoot, Brayden has never let his physical disability stand in his way. He is an avid athlete in a number of sports including hockey, basketball, golf, track, volleyball and soccer. His goal is working towards becoming an athlete in the Paralympics.

Brayden was nominated by GH Dawe School Counsellor Amy Johansson, who described him as a compassionate, kind, hardworking, and honest person who is driven and motivated to be his very best at all that he attempts.

She added that within the GH Dawe School community, Brayden is a highly respected citizen by all students and staff. “He is highly committed to sports connected to our school, as well as sports outside of our school community. Brayden works diligently at his academics. And is so very helpful and caring, always. Brayden works to overcome a list of things that he will not allow to hold him back.”

GH Dawe School is part of Alberta’s Integrated School Support Program – a child wellness initiative aimed at improving academic performance and the overall well-being of students. The program supports schools like GH Dawe with services to meet the diverse needs of students and families.

As he takes on his role as a provincial ambassador, Brayden continues to be a role model for his peers and a reminder of the power of perseverance and community support.