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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Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools teams up with Central Alberta Optimist Clubs and Time Hortons to provide “Best July Ever” for these students

Published on July 5, 2022

Red Deer Public Schools

66 students to immerse themselves in reading and writing this July

66 Grade 2 students from across Red Deer Public Schools are beginning the best July ever while improving their reading and writing skills along the way.

The Reading College program takes place at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre at Red Deer Polytechnic.

For the entire month, Reading College students will be immersed in a literacy rich environment, while being supported by mentor teachers as well as recent graduate teachers of Red Deer Polytechnic. Students will also enjoy fun activities each day throughout the post secondary institution, which will further enhance their excitement about reading and writing and introduce them to possibilities for their future.

“Third grade reading levels are one of the best predictors of high school graduation. Reading College helps struggling readers become readers of potential,” said Sue Carmichael, Program Coordinator of Reading College. “Reading College is a fantastic program that inspires kids to read and write to ensure they are ready and excited to enter Grade 3.”

“Even with summer holidays just starting, kids and parents were excited when they got on the bus today to start Reading College. In 20 days, we will see significant improvement using approaches that have demonstrated real success. Students will be working hard at reading and writing, but also playing hard with lots of great literacy-based activities around RDP,” said Bruce Buruma, Executive Director for the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. “All the programs the Foundation supports creates life chances for students. Reading College gives these students foundational skills that will help them be more successful in school.”

In its 11th year, Reading College is a project of the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. The program would not be possible without financial support from many community partners including from the Central Alberta Optimist Clubs and Tim Hortons through their Smile Cookie Campaign.

For more information regarding Reading College, click here.

Red Deer

Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics refreshes brand for 2022/2023 season

Published on June 23, 2022

Red Deer Polytechnic

Updated logo honours the past and embraces the future

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and Queens will have a familiar, but modern look as they enter the 2022/2023 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) season. Feedback from two virtual Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics Engagement Sessions, along with responses from a public online survey during Winter 2022 Term were used to help shape the creation of the updated logo, which remains a Crown.

“Our student-athletes, coaches, donors, sponsors, alumni, Athletics stakeholders, and central Albertans expressed their affinity for the Kings and Queens to continue wearing the Crown as a way of honouring the legacy of excellence within Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics,” says Jim Brinkhurst, Interim President, Red Deer Polytechnic. “With a history of 25 national titles and 182 ACAC gold medals from individual student-athletes and teams, Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics has cemented itself as a premier program in the ACAC and across the nation, and the Crown has become an identifiable symbol of that success.”

Over the years, the brands of the institution and Athletics have been updated, including different logos and colour schemes.

“The new Red Deer Polytechnic brand was unveiled on October 1, 2021, and this included a new logo,” says Kristine Plastow, Dean of Students. “As a result of the changes, the brands of the Polytechnic and Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics were not aligned, so we engaged with stakeholders to better connect the two. With the bold and modern features of the updated Crown, along with the single green colour, the relationship between the two brands is now strongly correlated.”

The refreshed Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics brand will be visible on campus and on new uniforms when the Kings and Queens compete in the 2022/2023 season.

Red Deer Polytechnic representatives (individuals and titles listed from left to right): Richard Longtin, Vice President External Relations; Kylie Thomas, Vice President Academic & Provost; Kristine Plastow, Dean of Students; Jim Brinkhurst, Interim President; Randy Stewart, Manager, Athletics & Student Life

“We are very excited for the 15 Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics teams to proudly showcase the modern visual identity this year, as they train, compete and volunteer in the community,” says Randy Stewart, Manager, Athletics and Student Life. “The Kings and Queens will have a unique and recognizable look as they continually strive for excellence in all facets of being a student-athlete at Red Deer Polytechnic. We are very proud of our student-athletes, and we can’t wait for the new season to begin in front of our donors, supporters, alumni, and fans in central Alberta.”