One challenge facing numerous First Nations communities is the positive esteem and academic progress of their children and youth. With the objective of improving the academic outcomes of its students, the Sioux Mountain Public School in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, launched the Hockey Skills Academy (HSA). In addition to hockey skills training, it is anticipated that the HSA will enhance students’ academic motivation and broader learning outcomes, and improve well-being. Further, by promoting greater school spirit and pride, positive effects of the HSA are expected to diffuse to other students. The role of our research team on this project is to evaluate the outcomes of the HSA, to monitor the implementation process in order to provide recommendations for how the HSA objectives can be more effectively met, and to scale out by working with community-based businesses and organizations to engage in the program and to develop complementary activities that consolidate students’ skills and motivation.
The Sioux Mountain Hockey Skills Academy project was covered by The National on CBC on January 20, 2016.
AND even the Governor General, the honourable David Johnston, looked forward to a skate the Sioux Mountain Huskies kids & coaches. Check it out on Facebook!
Our research on this project has been funded by the Mitacs Indigenous Communities Engagement program and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.