Lewis Cardinal Shares Learnings & Beliefs with Students

Students and staff listen to Lewis Cardinal speak in the school gym.

Lewis Cardinal visited Inner City High School last week and spoke to an all-school assembly in the gym. Lewis is Woodland Cree from the Sucker Creek Cree First Nation in Treaty No. 8 and has had a long connection with us. In our early days, he was instrumental in assisting the school develop and progress at a time when it was at a crossroads.

From that experience, he shares a friendship with Joe Cloutier, one of our founders and our Director of Education. Lewis also grew up in the inner city not far from Inner City High. Like Joe, Lewis has dedicated his life’s work to creating and maintaining connections and relationships that cross cultural divides. Lewis's professional work has mirrored his personal vision of a socially just and responsive society. Currently, Lewis is Senior Advisor for the Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre and “kihcihkaw askî–Sacred Land” in Edmonton. It is Canada’s first urban Indigenous ceremony grounds.

He spoke to students and staff about his remarkable life, his learnings, and his beliefs.

We were grateful for having him visit and share his time and words with us.

Joe Cloutier (Left) and Lewis Cardinal at Inner City High School on February 19, 2025.

Students Tour MacEwan University

Grade 12s Visit MacEwan University…

Last week, a group of our grade 12 students had a private tour of the MacEwan campus with Inner City staff members Kelsey and Tanys. The youth saw the campus and learned about the services and unique things that MacEwan has to offer. After the main tour, the group had a look at the university's Indigenous centre, 'kihêw waciston'. Students met Jaycee (one of the Indigenous student advisors) who explained the various programs they provide to make the transition from high school to university a bit easier. We will be doing other school tours in the next few months, including U of A and NAIT!

Register For High School Classes in Semester 2A!

If you have any questions on registration, you can contact the school at (780) 424-9425 or submit an inquiry on the Contact Form on our website.

February’s registration for Semester 2A is in-person. Starting Monday, February 3, 2025, you can drop in and register from 9 AM until 2 PM Monday to Thursday, and 9 AM until 12:10 PM on Fridays. Registration does not take place on holidays and school closure dates.

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If you are between 15 and 19 years of age, come and see us at 11205 101 Street.

(Group Home Worker & Case Workers — if a student has a Permanent Guardianship Order or a Delegation of Powers form they should bring that with them too. This is also true if a Mooshum, Kokum or Auntie are the student’s legal guardian - we need proof of that by way of documents.)

When you register, you need to bring documents that confirm:

• your name, age and where you live

• your Canadian citizenship

• and you will need to sign or have some consent forms signed or returned to us.

If you do have identification, below are some examples of documents that you can use, so bring one of the three things that follow.

1.       Proof of your current address:

• Driver’s License

• Alberta ID

• Utility Bill

• Lease/Rental Agreement

• Municipal Tax Bill

• Banking or Credit Card Statements 
  

2.       Proof of your name/age:

• Birth Certificate

• Driver’s License

• Alberta ID Card
  

3.       Proof of Canadian Citizenship:

• Status / Treaty Card

• Birth Certificate

• Passport

• Canadian Citizen Card or Certificate

• Canadian Certificate of Live Birth

• Permanent Resident Card

Our school calendar lists all the important dates for the upcoming school year and holidays.
Again, if you have any questions on registration, you can contact the school at (780) 424-9425 or submit an inquiry on the Contact Form of our website.

Board AGM February 19/2025

Save The Date

Inner City Youth Development Association (ICYDA) will host its Annual General Meeting online on February 19, 2025 at 05:15 PM in Edmonton, Alberta.

The meeting will be presented via Zoom at the coordinates' below.

Meeting ID: 845 0041 6061
Please contact us for the Zoom Password in advance.

Taylor McPherson, Amazing Race Winner and Indigenous Empowerment Advocate

Inspiring Talk About Sports, School & Life Captivated Students

On Wednesday, January 8th, Taylor McPherson, an Amazing Race Canada Winner and an Indigenous empowerment advocate, visited the school to talk to students about her experiences.

Taylor promotes accessible sports and leadership development within Indigenous communities. She was a varsity wrestler at the U of A and she won gold at Nationals in her last year. She was also a co-winner of "The Amazing Race Canada" on Season 10.

Beyond these achievements, she also co-founded the Spiritual Holistic Exercise Den (SHED), a program empowering Indigenous youth with access to sports and leadership training and inspiring them to embrace their cultural heritage. Our thanks to Taylor for her inspiring visit to Inner City High School. Our thanks to the Canadian Native Friendship Centre for their assistance connecting us with Taylor.

Kendra Jessie: Inspiring Change

Our staff and students would like to thank Kendra Jessie for visiting Inner City High School last week. Kendra is an Indigenous wellness advocate, an athlete, a coach, a brand spokesperson, and a content creator. She hails from Sucker Creek First Nation in traditional Treaty 8 Territory in northern Alberta. She uses her Instagram and TikTok platforms to educate people about Indigenous culture and spread awareness about the issues of Indigenous communities as well as inspire future generations. She loves to share her culture through the art of dance, mindful movement, holistic health and cultural practices. Our thanks to The Canadian Native Friendship Centre for connecting Kendra to our school.