In honour of Mr. K Joshee’s memory, we wish his daughter and longtime supporter, Reva Joshee, a very happy birthday! Reva has supported Inner City through her work with the Gandhi Foundation. Last month, Joe Cloutier was asked to speak by Reva at the Pedagogy of Ahimsa Conference, as was Social Studies Teacher, Natasha Sakar. The conference supported educators who are seeking to address social justice, environmental issues, and behaviour concerns through engagement with ‘ahimsa’. Ahimsa is translated as nonviolence, or more accurately, it means to not do harm in thought, word, or deed.
Posts filed under School
A Visit to the Muttart Conservatory
A Day of Learning, Appreciation, and Cultural Resonance
Our visit to the Muttart Conservatory on May 7 in Edmonton was truly enriching for our Indigenous Studies and Science high school students. Exploring the vibrant array of plants from around the world was not only educational but also immensely enjoyable. The tour guide's engaging narration, peppered with fascinating fun facts, added depth to our experience. We were particularly moved by the indigenous land acknowledgment, a thoughtful gesture that resonated deeply with our group. Having Elder Marjorie accompany us enhanced the visit, her wisdom and presence enriching our understanding and connection to the botanical wonders we encountered. It was a day filled with learning, appreciation, and cultural resonance that will be cherished by all who participated.
Inner City High Out and About in St. Albert
On May 21, our students were fortunate to have Celina Loyer lead them on a tour of the Little White School, a two-room schoolhouse, near downtown in Mission Park in St. Albert. The day also included seeing the Father Lacombe Chapel. In addition to the buildings’ historical significance to the local community, students and staff also learned about Metis Nation Building, Metis Famous Five, Alberta’s History, the 1982 Constitution and they even tried their hand at finger weaving!
The Best Side is Outside
A Day Trip to Camp Warwa
“School trips like this foster a stronger sense of unity within our school community, helping strengthen our core values of trust, respect, cooperation, and non‑violence.”
On May 15, Inner City High School loaded up a school bus and headed out to Camp Warwa, a 23-acre site on Lac Ste. Anne, about an hour west of Edmonton. The outdoor adventure camp provides immersive outdoor education experiences in a natural setting. It allows an opportunity for staff and students to reconnect with nature and each other, building better relationships and just having a day of fun outside.
The school’s kitchen packed lunches and snacks and the day was filled with a variety of activities like canoeing, rope climbing, hiking and more. Nature-based excursions like this are more than just recreational outings; they are a conduit for unlocking creativity, forging stronger bonds, while cultivating leadership and relationship skills.
Incorporating breaks from Edmonton’s inner city and heading out into nature create a deeper, more collaborative atmosphere among staff and students. This shift also helps foster a stronger sense of unity within our school community, helping strengthen our core values of trust, respect, cooperation, and non‑violence which form the core of all our activities.
Thanks to Camp Warwa and to all who attended and made the day so enjoyable.
Photos courtesy of Inner City Staffers: Francis, Derek, and Kelsey.
Jasmine Delivers School-wide National Red Dress Day Presentation
This year, National Red Dress Day fell on a Sunday so our school could not attend the local Edmonton rally as we normally do. To commemorate the day later that week, a Grade 12 student, Jasmine, lead a school-wide presentation about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) in the gym that was attended by about 60 people. To bring personal context to each province's experiences with the topic, she invited three staff members to assist with her talk. Russell spoke about Starlight Tours in Saskatchewan, Elder Marjorie spoke about the Highway of Tears in British Columbia, and Mark conducted a smudge to support her in representing Manitoba.
““I wanted to acknowledge the Missing and Murdered Indigenous peoples..and educate our school that this issue isn’t happening in one particular place; it’s happening all across Canada. I wanted to take time to honour our ancestors and spread awareness.” ”
Jasmine said she was drawn to this topic from hearing about it in her classes at Inner City High School. In her own words she said: “I wanted to acknowledge the Missing and Murdered Indigenous peoples. When I was learning about the issues in Indigenous communities, this topic caught my interest the most. Growing up I never heard of it, so it made me wonder how much other people knew. I wanted to educate our school that this issue isn’t happening in one particular place; it’s happening all across Canada. I wanted to take some time to honour our ancestors and spread awareness.”
We were very proud of Jasmine. Public speaking is not an easy endeavor and this is a difficult topic, as many in our Edmonton school share personal connections to MMIWG. She says she would like to do more presentations about this in the larger community.
Central Edmonton Halloween Party!
On Tuesday, October 31, our school gathered to celebrate the spooky season! For a few hours, there were student musical performances, pumpkin carving, special snacks, sports and visual arts. Students and staff got into the festivities by wearing a variety of spooky outfits too. Inner City High School is the place to be for tricks and treats!
