At the April 16, 2025 Board Meeting, Celine Odjig (Lutselk'e Dene and Ojibwe from Wikwemikong) was introduced as the 2025-26 Indigenous Student Trustee. This announcement comes after Celine was first appointed by the Elders Council in relationship with and learning from the students of the Toronto Indigenous Youth Council and System Superintendent of Indigenous Education.
As a current Grade 11 student at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, Celine runs the Indigenous Students Association/Reclaim Club. She is a Grade 8 graduate of Kapapamahchakwew - Wandering Spirit School and attends weekly Toronto Indigenous Youth Council meetings. In this new leadership role, Celine looks to champion the work of her predecessors in the areas of mental health and the mandatory "Understanding Contemporary First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit Voices" Grade 11 English course.
The Indigenous Student Trustee's work is guided by the Elders Council, Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Council, System Superintendent of Indigenous Education, Toronto Youth Indigenous Council, and Indigenous students across the 吃瓜黑料网. This position is crucial in building relationships among First Nations, M茅tis, and Inuit youth, and in amplifying Indigenous voices in Board decisions that support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action (2015)and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
At the Board Meeting, Celine was joined by her fellow 2025-26 Student Trustees. Ahnaaf Hassan, a current Grade 11 student at R. H. King Academy, and Victor Jiang, a current Grade 11 student at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, were also announced to attendees. It marked the first time that these three young leaders appeared in the Boardroom together.
Congratulations, Celine! And thank you to all the students who submitted excellent applications for the Indigenous Student Trustee role.
We look forward to officially welcoming Celine, Ahnaaf, and Victor to the Board of Trustees when their terms begin later this year.