Leadership Camp for LGBTQ+ Youth Inspires Trent School of Education Teacher Candidates
Camp fYrefly leadership retreat for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, two-spirited, intersexed, queer, questioning, and allied youth marks its second year at Trent University
Messages of love and support chalked in all colours of the rainbow could be seen across Trent’s Symons campus, acting as the red carpet to welcome close to sixty LGBTQ+ youth from across Ontario to campus for the second year of Camp fYrefly at Trent University July 11-15, 2018.
This marked the second year of Camp fYrefly Ontario, which launched at Trent last summer as a joint venture between Trent’s School of Education and the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta. The arts-based resiliency building camp, which is currently held each summer in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and at Trent in Ontario, utilizes all areas of the arts to aid sexual and gender minority youth and their allies to build strong resilient identities and become leaders in their communities.
“The marriage of the camp model created by faculty from the University of Alberta, with Trent School of Education, and local grass-roots artists and activists make fYrefly an experience which helps our campers flourish,” says Camp fYrefly Ontario director and Trent University alumnus, Dr. Spencer J. Harrison ‘97. “The combination of Indigenous teachings with that of the arts, creates the magic which is Camp fYrefly.”
Educating the Next Generation of Educators
For the School of Education, a unique opportunity exists for its teacher candidates, as they are required to experience an Alternative Settings Placement that is encouraged to take place outside of the classroom.
“I chose Camp fYrefly for my Alternative Settings Placement because all students should experience respect, safety and acceptance in their school environment no matter what gender identity or orientation they have,” said Kerry Kennedy who just completed her first year in Trent’s Bachelor of Education program. “Creating these types of learning environments begins with the teacher. I believe that all educators should educate themselves about the LGBTQQIP2SAA community so that we can better support LGBTQ+ students and encourage diverse, equitable, and inclusive classrooms. As a future teacher, I will set the tone for my classroom with the incredible knowledge I have gained from Camp fYrefly, fostering equity and respect.”
“fYrefly is an immersive Queer experience that offers crucial learning for Trent’s Teacher Candidates,”says Dr. Blair Niblett School of Education faculty member and advisor to students participating in fYrefly,. “It offers them a chance to learn from and about the lives of Queer and Trans youth, and carry that knowledge into their careers as they serve students in Ontario’s classrooms and beyond.”
Learn more about Camp fYrefly.