THUNDER BAY - With the start of a new school year, students are settling in, getting ready for classes, and preparing to begin a new journey. In order to set students off on the right foot, a special orientation session was held for students from remote northern communities.
The Maadaadizi orientation was held on Saturday at Marina Park. The event, now in its fourth year, provides Indigenous students studying at Lakehead University, Confederation College, and Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute an introduction to the services available to them while living and studying in the city.
Maadaadizi means the start of a journey in Ojibway and Leona Scanlon, head post-secondary councilor for Northern Nishnawbe Education Council, said every year her organization alone can see more than 230 Indigenous students travelling to Thunder Bay to attend school.
“We want our students to feel very welcomed to the city of Thunder Bay,” she said. “I hope they feel welcomed and want to stay here because the majority of our students travel in from remote communities and we want to show that Thunder Bay is your city.”
“It’s a big transition,” she continued. “You are renting apartments, and travel, so it’s all about getting yourself set up in Thunder Bay and attending school.”
The orientation session included information booths on services that are available in the city, including Pro Kids, 211, health services, and members of parliament.
Students were also treated to performances by Crystal Shawanda and Nick Sherman, as well as some inspirational words from former National Hockey League player and coach, Ted Nolan.
Nolan played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings in the 1980s and from coached the Buffalo Sabres from 1995-97.
Nolan said coming from the small community of Garden River, Ont., he was lucky to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL. But achievement comes from more than just luck.
“You have to work,” he said. “Skill alone won’t get you anywhere and you have to have certain perseverance. There were many times I was home sick and wanted to go home, but for whatever reason, I chose not to. You have to stay in college, you have to learn what you have to learn in order to be the best at whatever field you are going into. And you have to believe in yourself.”
Nolan added that it is important for him to return to Northern Ontario and participate in events like Maadaadizi, which is something he realized when he first hit the ice.
“Ever since my first game, I told myself I would come back and share my story with as many First Nation youth as I possibly can to let them know that anything is possible,” he said. “If this little skinny Ojibway kid from Garden River can make it in the league with some of the best players in the world, then anyone can do anything.”
