Incorporating Indigenous culture into education is the focus of a two-day national youth conference at a Saskatoon high school this week.
The Building Bridges youth conference kicked off Wednesday morning at Oskayak High School.
The conference features a number of keynote speakers, panels and workshops.
Grade 12 student Andre Bear is one of the conference’s keynote speakers and he says Oskayak school is a perfect example of how Aboriginal culture can be combined with education within a comfortable setting for students.
“When you come to Oskayak it’s a sacred place, you’re not here to hang out with your friends,” he says. You’re here to be in a comfortable environment, in a sacred place where you can learn.”
Bear, who is part of a group who successfully convinced the Saskatoon Public School Board to drop the Redmen logo at Bedford Collegiate, adds Oskayak has given him the confidence to be an activist.
“Everything I do is because of this school. They helped me find who I am.”
The conference is being put on by Canadian Roots – a national youth exchange program.
It wraps up Thursday afternoon.