A collection of painted rocks placed at the base of a tree along the beachfront in Snickett Park is one Sechelt class's expression of their thoughts and learnings about truth and reconciliation.
The teacher of the Social Justice 12 class at Chatelech Secondary School, Constantine A. Kudaba, said in an email that learning about Canada's history of colonization can bring about grief, trauma, and dark memories for so many families and communities.
“When introducing any class to the topic, former Senator Murray Sinclair has always been a great voice,” said Kudaba. “I was fortunate to have an exceptional group of learners who pondered the question inspired by Mr. Sinclair and the [Truth and Reconciliation Commission], ‘How is education going to get us out of this mess?’”
Kudaba said that many of the Social Justice 12 class assignments centred on how small, incremental change can create momentum in a community.
“Of course, the rocks are only a small piece of the learning journey for these students; true learning comes in various forms, capacities, and places,” he said.
Kudaba explained that after one of the class's weekly discussion circles near the water, students were told to grab a rock that represented the “weight” they carry in the topic and in life.
“I wish people got to meet this class in person for they are an exceptional group that inspires hope towards such a challenging future.
“What's going to get us out of this 'mess' is care for everyone and all spheres of life. Their art is a personalized response to those families and what our community needs moving forward,” Kudoba said.
“Social Justice has been one of the most valuable courses I have taken at Chatelech,” said Lauren Damsgaard a Grade 12 student in the Social Justice Class.
“We can transfer our knowledge from the classroom into the real world, and in this case, we have done so in the form of painted rocks, Damsgaard said. “The rocks express our understanding of Truth and Reconciliation and provide messages of strength and encouragement for the community.”
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
