M’CHIGEENG—For the first time in several years, the community of M’Chigeeng First Nation (MFN) was able to hold its Education Awards Night to recognize all students from elementary school through post-secondary school studies.
“I would like to welcome and thank everyone for coming out this evening for this very special event,” stated Morgan Hare, M’Chigeeng First Nation chief at the M’Chigeeng First Nation Education Awards Night, held this past Saturday evening in the local community complex. “Walking into this room this evening, you could feel the energy. Tonight, we are recognizing the academic achievements of our students, post-secondary graduates since 2019, elementary and secondary school graduates in the current year,” said Chief Hare. “I attended Manitoulin Secondary School and Lakeview School when I was younger. It is a real honour to be here tonight.”
“We are also recognizing our graduates from our employment and training program, run by John Ense,” continued Chief Hare. “About 75 graduates will get their graduate certificates this evening. Congratulations to all our graduates, you all have the support of MFN staff and council.”
Chief Hare noted when the MFN education department had put in a proposal to band council for funding support to put on the education awards evening, “it was a no-brainer that we would cover these costs. We feel education for our children is so important, and it is so important to support our students’ activities every year,” he said in reading the names of all the council members.
The education department “has our support every year,” stated Chief Hare. He told all the people who packed the main complex room, “We are in the process of looking at building a new elementary school for Lakeview that will be very exciting. We will be holding more meetings in January which will be exciting. I think it will become a reality in the next few years that this will take place.”
Chief Hare said MFN received Jordan’s Principle funding to be able to provide free lunch every day for its students at MSS. “We have already received $1 million for a language initiative for our daycare. We will be able to push forward the use of our language in our young children. By doing so, the language becomes strong by incorporating it into our young students, something that was not in place in the 1970s and 1980s.” He acknowledged the MFN staff and education members for putting on the event, and to all education staff and directors.
Masters of ceremonies for the evening were Robert Beaudin and Kimberley Debassige, Director of Education. “To all our graduates, looking at the education program over the past four months I find it amazing to see the number of graduates there are. The number of graduates is very high and shows how successful our students are.”
“To be celebrating about 75 graduates this year is amazing to me. The investment in education has to happen at an early age, and it is being shown by these numbers,” said Chief Hare.
“It is great to see so many in attendance here this evening,” said Ross Armstrong, MFN deputy chief.
“Students must work very hard to be successful and need to set high goals for themselves,” said Mr. Armstrong. “I would like to say thank you and congratulations to all the graduates. Be proud of who you are, Anishinabek.”
MFN councillor Jean Debassige said, “I stand here tonight with pride. We are here to celebrate the hard work of our students, everyone from Junior Kindergarten, Grades 1-8, secondary school and post-secondary school graduates. It is important and I can’t say how important it is that we accept every child into our care. We don’t all learn the same way, and we need to recognize the gifts all our students have.”
Diploma program at Mohawk College.
Ms. Debassige said, “Elementary school is the foundation for high school. Poor academia starts after Grade 8, at least that is the way I see it.” She said students learning and using their language is very important. “The language we speak identifies each and every one of us. My heart sings when I hear young ones say aanii or answer me when I say that. After tonight, I need each one of you for support. I am going to be calling on all of our language speakers in the community to get together in a way that you are proud to speak your language. And then we will take that to those that want to learn the language. I will be calling all our elders and language teachers in promoting our language in our community. And a person cannot learn the language just in school. It is not enough. Those that want to learn the language have to do so outside of the school as well.”
The Lakeview Kindergarten class then sang two Christmas songs.
Anishnaabemowin.
Kimberley Debassige, MFN director of education, said, “It is a wonderful thing to be involved in this evening. And thank you to the young ones who bring such life to all of us.” She congratulated all the student graduates and education staff for all their efforts.
Ms. Debassige then introduced M’Chigeeng princess 2023, Lourdes Taukei, who welcomed everyone to the event.
Dream Saunders, a post-secondary graduate in the child and youth care diploma program at Mohawk College, bade welcome to all graduates and community members. “I feel honoured to be able to speak to you this evening as a 21-year-old graduate of the child and youth care diploma program at Mohawk College (2023).” She explained she wanted to work in this field and work in the community to help provide positive growth for young people. “My dream is to support the youth of M’Chigeeng,” she said in noting the positive influence and support her parents, Cole McLaughlin and Cher Beaudin, have had on her.
Tyger Louis, a graduate of Bachelor of Arts Degree with honours in Law from Carleton University in 2022, said, “I didn’t just graduate from school. I graduated another chapter of my life. In life there are no pauses, things keep moving.” He said there is more to school than just studies, there is life learning on how to be a young person and adjusting to new situations. He acknowledged the tremendous support he has received from his family in pushing him to be a better person.
Anthony J. Debassige, a Bachelor of Arts Honours Psychology Degree Concentration in Health Psychology graduate at Carleton University in 2020 had returned to school at the age of 47. He noted the thousands of pressures on a person going to school, whether they are younger or 47. “When you are a younger person you are following your dreams, while as an older person you are pursuing education possibly for other reasons,” said Mr. Debassige, who noted going back to school was in large part due to his daughter, “and wanting to be as good a dad as I can be.”
Lakeview School graduates, June 2023 included Ayden Louks, Lourdes Taukei, Kingston Abel-Armstrong, Dawson Armstrong Shogga, Marie-Ense Cheechoo, Ethan Ense, Trytan Ense, David Enosse, Gjiwednong Fox, Courtney McGown-Abel, Nyla O’Connor, Aurora Panamick, Alexis Young, Leila Young, Damara Wassegijig and Kaleb Panamick-Taibossigai.
Secondary school graduates, June 2023 Ontario Secondary School Diploma recipients included Odemin Beaudin, Damion Debassige, Aysia Francis-Debassige, Kal Hunter Debassige, Alina Hare, Landon Hare, Keisha Hildebrand and Jude Debassige.
There was a total of 40 post-secondary school graduates for 2022-2023 including Nolan Ace, Jodie Beaudin-Brant, Nicole Cadieux, Megan Corbiere, Victoria Corbiere, Kristen Crawford, Kalie Bakka Migwans, Roger Timothy Beaudin, Shelby Calderon, Laura Day-Corbiere, Eden Beaudin, Lisa Bertrand, Katelynn Corbiere, Valerie Corbiere, Warren E.J. Corbiere Jr., Alayna Cranston, Grace Marie Debassige, Melissa Debassige-Kasunich, Destiney Harper, Natalie Lukiw, Richard Migwans, Ruby Panamick, Nea Saunders, Anthony J. Debassige, Jessie Mary Debassige-Vincent, Ashlynn Hare, Haley Johnston, Harmony Kaiser-Fox, Lacey McFarlane, Aiyanah Nahwegahbow, Jasmine Roy, Lisa Still, Stephanie Trudeau, Ernestin Debassige, Deidre Debassige, Lesley Johnston, Tyger Louis, Tiffany McGregor, Dream Saunders and Megan Tomyn.
Post-secondary school graduates 2019-2021 included Krystine Abel, Tanya Armstrong, Cassandra Bisson, Brooke Debassige, Jacob Genereux, Jamie-Leigh Letourneau, Terra Paul, Nea Saunders, Hope Ace, Faith Beaudin, Penny Roy-Corbiere, Victoria Corbiere, Deborah Debassige, Syla Halls, Cheyenne Oechsler, Zack Paul, Rachel Weppler, Brooke Addison, Roger Beaudin Jr., Renee Corbiere, Warren E.J. Corbiere, Jacqueline Fantetti, Sarah Jimenez, Skylar Parker and Reign Ryan.
The MFN Local Delivery Mechanism (LDM) employment and training 2021 graduates included Sue Ellen Bebonang, Treena Debassige, Kali Corbiere, Austin Glover, Amber Debassige, Theresa Ouimette. 2022 graduates: Gerard Armstrong, Justice Corbiere, Russell Debassige, Luke Armstrong, Dakota Hare, Thompson-Corbiere Jr., Cole Corbiere, Meeshen Corbiere, Vince Migwans Panamick. 2023 graduates: Trey Bebonang, Andrew Corbiere, Dustin Corbiere, Hunter Corbiere, Ian Corbiere, Nicholas Osawabine-Corbiere, Brett Ense, Jacqueline Ense, Tyler Johnston, Maren Kasunich, Ryan LeBecque, Alicia Corbiere McLean, Christine Migwans, Lynn Migwans, Cameron Osawabine-Corbiere, Cole Ouimette, Cherilyn Panamick and Steven Radulovich.
During the evening, the local ladies’ drum had performed, as did singer Aiyana Louis.
