OMRIE Indigenous Student Summit Amplifies Student Voices and Stories

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Story provided by Chelsea Isenor, Director of Communications and Board Administration

On May 1–2, 2025, over 150 Indigenous students from several school districts gathered at the Brown’s House of Learning at Thompson Rivers University for the third annual OMRIE Indigenous Student Summit. 

The OMRIE Indigenous Student Summit began as an idea of the Okanagan Mainline Regional Indigenous Education Council (OMRIE), which consists of representatives from ten school districts who share initiatives aimed at providing Indigenous students and staff with opportunities to share perspectives on how Indigenous students can achieve academic excellence in environments that are welcoming, caring, and foster a sense of well-being and belonging.

Over the past three years, the OMRIE Indigenous Student Leadership Summit has continued to grow, with 60 more students joining this year, and serves as a powerful platform for Indigenous youth to share their experiences, insights, and solutions. The theme of this year’s summit was “Your Voice. Your Story. Take Action” and included breakout sessions and discussions focused on Indigenous Student Mental Health.

The summit remains a critical space for centering student voices with a goal to use the perspectives and recommendations shared by students to inform and support the development of district-level action plans that respond directly to Indigenous mental health needs in schools.

On Friday, May 2, the day started with a smudging ceremony, followed by an opening Grand March where students were welcomed into the Brown’s House of Learning led by District Principal Mike Bowden with drumming and singing from Sage Hill Drummer.

District Principal Mike Bowden welcomed everyone and shared a special message to the students: “We come together today under a powerful theme, mental health. Today is about your voice, your story, and it's about taking action. Today is a call to all you courageous student leaders to bring your experiences, your strength, and your dreams forward, and shape a future where Indigenous student mental health and well-being are fully seen, valued, and supported. You are the heart of this work, your stories matter, your voice matters. When you speak your truth and lift each other up, you not only create space for healing and connection, you also become the architects of lasting change in our schools, our communities, and beyond.”

Peter Michel and Jackie Jules led everyone in the Welcome Song, followed by an opening prayer from Ava Jules. Knowledge Keeper Jackie Jules then shared stories and lessons about Secwepemctsín language, history, and culture, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous voices, “Language is a very important part of our people, the language has our laws, our way of life, and our stories.”

During Opening Remarks, Trustee Diane Jules from the Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education shared, “Our board is deeply committed to listening and learning from students about how to ensure that we cultivate learning environments that are truly welcoming, safe, inclusive, and focused in Indigenous student priorities. It is inspiring to see what Indigenous students leaders from OMRIE school districts have accomplished together these past two years in advancing anti-racism strategies. Your voice matters—what you say will be heard, documented, and will help shape real change in our districts and across all of BC. It wasn’t that long ago that our student voice was silenced. We now recognize that student voice is the most important voice to guide and lead us into future generations…Whatever you choose to do in your life, just remember your voice is important.”

TRU Chancellor DeDe DeRose shared her experience as an educator and encouraged the students to travel and meet Indigenous people around the world who are working to keep their cultures and languages alive. “It’s heartwarming to know we are not alone in the struggle to maintain positive change.”

Ryan Deneault, a Secwépemc person and local business consultant, shared his own mental health journey through addiction to wellness and recovery through healing between worlds. He emphasized the important impact Indigenous student leaders can make, sharing, “You guys are the ones that are going to make the changes necessary for us to start to do things in a good way…bringing worlds together so that we can make decisions that are better for us and for future generations.” When talking about mental health, Ryan shared a hopeful message: “We are not defined by our trauma, I am not defined by my trauma… My trauma led me to numb myself but it also led me to find myself. If you are struggling, make sure you give yourself some grace. It's okay to struggle—these are the moments we get an opportunity to grow as a human being, to grow as a spirit, that's the opportunity that you get to be better.”

Student then spent the day in breakout sessions and discussed Indigenous mental health, with topics including cultural Identity and belonging, community and support networks, Indigenous leadership and empowerment, traditional healing and wellness practices, land-based learning and connection to nature, mental health awareness and coping strategies, the impact of colonization on mental health, suicide prevention and crisis support, navigating two worlds of Indigenous and western perspectives, and healthy relationships and lateral kindness.

The day ended with a powerful closing ceremony. The SKSS Rising Rivers Drum Group welcomed students and facilitators back to the Brown House of learning with the Honour Song. Students were able to share the lesions, actions, and recommendations from their breakout discussions.

Some of the key takeaways and recommendations highlighted by students included more education for educators, greater access to Indigenous Student Leadership Councils, creating more safe spaces and welcome rooms in schools, offering more language classes and cultural events, creating peer support circles, having additional mental health and addiction supports inside schools, implementing more credited Indigenous courses, additional learning opportunities with Elders and Knowledge Keepers, teaching mental health to all ages, and providing greater opportunities for students to have discussions with decision makers in schools and at the District level.

In the Kamloops-Thompson School District’s 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan, the goal of the Cultural and Identity Priority is for every learner to feel safe and thrive personally and culturally. The District depends on initiatives like the Indigenous Student Anti-Racism Summit to provide a safe space where Indigenous students are able to express themselves within an environment that promotes cultural safety and humility, one that ensures that everyone feels safe, included, cared for, and that they belong.