By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

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Central Middle students put personal touch on land acknowledgments

Sep 29, 2025 | 4:48 PM

Red Deer Public Schools is highlighting the students who’ve been providing meaningful land acknowledgements at the start of board meetings.

The division says this has given students an opportunity to honour Indigenous relations while deepening their own learning.

What’s even better is that students who’ve moved on from Central Middle to Lindsay Thurber have come back to mentor younger students in writing their own land acknowledgments.

“This has been such a powerful learning experience for our students,” said Savannah Kushniruk, teacher at Central Middle School.

“At first, they were a little nervous just to read the official acknowledgement, but then they began to ask questions and wanted to understand the meaning behind the words. Writing their own acknowledgements gives them ownership and helps them connect personally to the land and to the history we’re recognizing. And attending the Board Meeting each month is something they really looked forward to.”

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Students have also made trips to the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery to broaden their learning, and help them craft their personal acknowledgments.

Hayley Christen, the division’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) learning services coordinator, says the initiative is a meaningful example of reconciliation in action.

“Land acknowledgements are not just the words we say, they are a commitment to understanding, respect and ongoing learning,” she said. “Seeing students take the time to explore what reconciliation means to them, and then put that into their own words, shows the depth of understanding that is possible when we empower young people.”

The practice of students opening school board meetings in this way will continue, the division notes.