The Indigenous and Math Departments are incredibly excited to share that the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has announced that the Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Theresa Shrine Catholic School were selected as national honourees for their Heartbeat of the Drum project through the nationwide Imagine a Canada initiative.
Imagine a Canada invited students across the country to envision a reconciled Canada and creatively share their hopes for the future. Out of submissions nationwide, only twelve projects were selected — and Heartbeat of the Drum was proudly chosen as one of them!
Guided by teachers Bryan McGouran and Jonathon Butler, with support from Jennifer D'Addario (Elementary Math Department), Andrea Thykootathil (Secondary Math Department), Sonya Charal (Indigenous Education), and TCDSB Indigenous artists Diane Montreuil and Allison Dawn Pilon, students explored the sacredness of drumming through the teachings of the Medicine Wheel while connecting Indigenous ways of knowing with mathematics.
Using embodied learning and traditional measurement techniques, students constructed their own handmade drums while exploring proportions, dimensions, circles, length, and area. Students also reflected on their own cultural identities and painted meaningful symbols and stories onto their drums, creating a vibrant collection that blended mathematics, culture, artistry, and respect for Indigenous traditions.
A heartfelt thank you is extended to Principal Stephen Patel and Library Technician Andrea Smith for their continued commitment to Indigenous allyship, reconciliACTION, and learning alongside Shrine’s 8th Generation Allies. A beautiful mural honouring the experience was also created and displayed in the school’s main entrance.
Adding to the excitement, students are now entering the final stages of the award process, which includes being invited to fly across Canada this June for a national celebration alongside other award recipients.
This incredible achievement reflects the TCDSB’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous education and transformative learning experiences that connect curriculum, culture, and lived experience.
Congratulations to the students and staff of St. Theresa Shrine on this outstanding national recognition!
