Eagle Spirit campers, counselors and Faculty of Medicine student and staff volunteers at the Arnold and Blema

Steinberg Medical Simulation Centre. (Photo: Nicolas Morin)

The Eagle Spirit is a much-needed outlet for Aboriginal youth in Canada, nurturing their successes, excellence and leadership capacities.

The overall goal is to provide a unique and welcoming opportunity for Native youth to become acquainted with life on campus as a McGill student athlete, exposing them to a myriad of physical, social, spiritual and cultural opportunities. Another goal is to connect youth with other nations, who in most cases were joining us from isolated communities.

Although the primary career focus has been on health science, the variety of backgrounds from our camp leaders is key to opening the doors of possibility for many of the youth.

Jessica Barudin from Kwakwaka’wakw, Namgis First Nation, is a McGill Physical Therapy graduate student. She served as a counsellor at the 6th Annual Eagle Spirit High Performance Camp organized by McGill’s First Peoples’ House.

Read the full story in the McGill Reporter

May 24, 2012