Standing Bear Stories

  Lacrosse star Mekwan Tulpin’s involvement in Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario’s (ISWO) Standing Bear Youth Leadership Program over the past year has been all about giving back.  A proud Ontarian of Mushkegowuk Cree and Belgian descent and member of Fort Albany First Nation, Tulpin......

Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario’s canoe and kayak instructor, Keir Johnston, takes a holistic approach to teaching the sport to participants in the Standing Bear Youth Leadership program. An elite level canoe/kayak athlete, Johnston has travelled the globe competing in major international competitions but says when he introduces the sport to......

At just 16-years-old, Standing Bear Summer Student Racheal Cameron has always seen herself as a leader. Hailing from the Dalles First Nation in the Kenora District, Cameron was the 2018 Standing Bear program’s youngest summer student — something she says she used to her advantage......

Standing Bear Student Leader Tanner Meekis looks forward to giving back to his community as a police officer one day. The 18-year-old who is Oji-Cre from Sandy Lake First Nation grew up in Kenora, Ontario and is currently enrolled in the Police Foundations Course at......

Youth at the Standing Bear Leadership Camp in Fort Albany had no problem getting their hands dirty cooking up a delicious batch of fry bread with Standing Bear staff Peshaunquet Shognosh. For Shognosh who is Anishinaabe First Nation from Walpole Island, the task runs deeper than......

Sitting around a campfire in Fort Albany, a local woman preparing a goose stew told fabled stories of legends from their First Nation community. The Standing Bear youth that surrounded her hung on her every word. Situated deep in northern Ontario, Fort Albany was new......

Youth at the Standing Bear Leadership Camp held at Western University had the opportunity to put their courage to the test while climbing the ropes at The Factory Indoor Adventure Park in London, Ontario. After a week of growing and learning through an assortment of......

Youth looking for a confidence boost at the Standing Bear Youth Leadership Camp in London, Ontario were in for a treat with Turtle Concepts featuring the upbeat Dave Jones’ and his team. With their witty and high energy presentation, they shared stories of their journey to positivity......