“I belong here. This feels like family.” - Kendyl

To say my educational journey has been interesting would be an understatement. I am currently attending The Hill Academy, in Caledon, Ontario, and just completed my sophomore year there. I will begin my junior year here in September 2024 and am thrilled that this is part of my educational story.

Prior to attending The Hill Academy, I was homeschooled since 2019. However, this was not by choice. In 2019, NYS imposed a mandate that conflicts with my Haudenosaunee culture (traditional practices), and my hometown is in NYS. The reason I so staunchly hold to my cultural practices are because of the shoulders I stand on in my ancestors.

As mentioned in my bio, my great-grandmother (Granny) is a residential school survivor, having forcefully attended the Mush Hole (The Mohawk Institute) for over ten years. My grandmother (Grammies) also attended Indian day school until grade 7, when dropping out seemed the only escape. Additionally, she was also disenfranchised for over 20 years.

Because of the atrocities that my ancestors endured, this has given me the drive to embrace all aspects of my culture and to uphold them in a way that my grandmother and great-grandmother could’ve only dreamed of.

Homeschool, as a forced option for four years, proved to be impacting to my overall growth and development in many aspects including educationally, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. This led to my family looking into other schooling options. The one that made the most sense and was most welcoming of my culture was The Hill Academy, which is also the closest to my home Nation.

Having the opportunity to attend school here has allowed for the fulfillment of my academic pursuits and dreams. Walking through the challenges I have faced in my education has only made me stronger, proved my resilience and has further developed and deepened my character.