On April 21-22, 2026, HPEDSB partnered with Loyalist College to host the "Ignite Your Fire - Become a Changemaker" Indigenous Student Symposium. The two-day event provided Indigenous youth with an opportunity to learn about cultural traditions and develop leadership and advocacy skills.
The keynote address was brought by Watson Whitford, the Male Co-President of the National UNITY Council Executive Committee. He inspired students to embrace leadership roles within their communities and to deeply engage with their culture. He stressed the vital need to learn from elders and traditional teachings, encouraging active participation and exploration.
Students then participated in several interactive workshops covering traditional teachings, environmental responsibility, the arts, and community leadership.
The schedule included the following sessions:
- Mohawk Cultural Teachings: Dustin Brant shared traditional Mohawk teachings, specifically focusing on fire teachings and how they relate to community social structures.
- Water Teachings: Sarah Dunkley guided participants through an activity and discussion highlighting the importance of water sustainability and responsibility from an Indigenous perspective.
- Bringing Light Through Community Advocacy: Watson Whitford led a two-part workshop outlining how to advocate for change at school or across a Nation, including how to focus a vision, build an action plan, and find a support team.
- We Come From the Stars - Haudenosaunee Star Knowledge: Samantha Doxtator discussed the sacred relationship between humanity and the cosmos, explaining how stars have served as navigational roadmaps for Indigenous communities over thousands of years.
- Awakening the Words: Language Revitalization: Sophia Smoke led an interactive discussion exploring the cultural significance of language and provided students with practical steps for language preservation in their own communities.
- Tyonhéhkwen: Jennifer Tewatahà:kwa Maracle shared the story of the Three Sisters, highlighting its important life lessons and the scientific innovation of the Haudenosaunee people.
- Healing with Hoops: Students learned the basics of storytelling dance from Theland Kicknosway, an experienced hoop dancer who has performed internationally in locations such as Dubai, Rome, and Mexico.
By combining traditional knowledge systems with practical skills, the symposium aimed to provide students with the tools to initiate change within their communities.