All Our Neighbours: Tyee Elementary School

WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017

Our first Roundtable was held at Tyee Elementary School, as a follow-up for their participation in the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Forum, Safeguarding Our Communities, Upholding Our Values.

How It Went

On June 21st, we held our first Community Roundtable at Tyee Elementary School with an outstanding class of Grade 7 students, where we continued their active and thought-provoking participation in the conversations held at the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Community Forum.

The students began by voting on the questions online, then voicing their opinions on the most voted topics. When asked about how immigration in Canada had impacted their life and/or prosperity, many answered thoughtfully, stating that they benefited from the abundance of new friends, the privilege to learn about new cultures, and the fortune and accessibility to such a diverse range of food.

The Roundtable also gave students an opportunity to critically question the effects of immigration to Canada: some students voiced concerns about the impact of recent newcomers on employment opportunities, others commented on the increase of miscommunication as their neighbourhoods became increasingly diverse. Needless to say, the students at Tyee Elementary were not shy to express their opinions and thoughts regarding the issues surrounding diversity and immigration within their own local communities.

Special Thanks

We would like to thank Tyee Elementary School for welcoming us and helping us to facilitate the discussion. We applaud the students who have participated in the Roundtable! Their level of engagement was as impressive as their initial contribution to February’s Community Forum, setting the tone for the continued discussions across the Lower Mainland to come.

Special thanks to their teacher, Scott Malin, and their resource teacher, Nellie Wong, for bringing the students to the Community Forum and later helping to arrange this opportunity to engage their students in a meaningful discussion about immigration and racial discrimination in their local communities.