in Chatsworth, Grey Highlands, Southgate, West Grey
November 21, 2024
Photo collage: Joan John, founder of JCI and the first Black woman to be an elected member of council in Southgate and Grey County. Also shown are students in one of the two breakout sessions hearing up close and personal from the various presenters. Another photo shows the presenters including a retired city politician/real estate agent; a veterinary doctor; a licensed electrician; a city mayor's office manager; mental health and addiction nurse; entrepreneur and business mogul; a TV talk show hostess/actress; two youth mentor/singer songwriters; a visual technician; a singer and a dance group.
BY LYNN SILVERTON — Last Thursday November 14, Junction Community Initiatives (JCI), Bluewater District School Board (BDSB) and Grey Highlands Secondary School (GHSS) held a Black Students Forum.
Black students from schools throughout the BDSB areas in Grey and Bruce were bussed to GHSS in Flesherton for this second annual event.
I spoke with some of the students and was happy to learn that they enjoyed the 2023 event and that this year's Forum was even more encouraging, enlightening and informative.
They enjoyed the networking with other students that looked just like them, listening to the many Black adults and how they got where they are and, the delicious Caribbean Food.
At the end of the event, Terrel Johnson, a past student at GHSS, presented one of the best "you can do it" sessions explaining how to handle further education whether it be for academic or trades that I have ever heard. What rumours they hear in high school about going on to college or university or trade school that are true or are created to scare them.
JCI, BDSB and GHSS certainly did a great job and Bob and I were so glad to have been a part of it as JCI members.
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