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A group of 27 Attawapiskat First Nation students, supported by nine teachers and chaperones, made their annual Grade 8 Graduation Class Trip to Toronto and area to take in attractions and other activities during a week-long experience. For many youth living in an isolated community such as Attawapiskat, this is often the first opportunity to experience a major urban centre to help broaden their life experience and bring classroom lessons to life.

De Beers once again hosted the students early in the week at the company’s Toronto office for a presentation and discussion on mining and careers in mining, as well as the type of school subjects students interested in mining might want to consider in high school.

“We’ve been hosting the Attawapiskat Grade 8 Graduating Class for the last six years and the students are really engaged when they come to the office, especially with many being able to connect a family member to a role at the mine, making the discussion a bit more tangible,” said Tom Ormsby, Head of External and Corporate Affairs for De Beers in Canada. “They also ask a lot of questions, which is important at this age, as we know from research that Grade 8 is when many kids start to get an idea of what they might like to do for a career’.

To top off the visit, Ormsby and other De Beers colleagues hosted the students to a major league baseball game, where the students cheered the Blue Jays to a convincing 7-0 victory over their American League rival New York Yankees.