Indigenous Student Trustee Quanah Traviss.
The Limestone District School Board added a third Student Trustee position to represent Indigenous students beginning in the 2020-2021 school year.
The Student Trustee position allows students in Grades 11 or 12 to provide greater insight into student activities, programs and needs. This important role also encourages more student voice in the district’s governance activities, and a greater awareness and understanding of mutual issues between and among the Board, school staff and students. Previously, the Board had two positions for Student Trustees to provide for the interests of students within its school system.
Due to the COVID-19 school closures, virtual elections were held in May 2020. The Indigenous Student Trustee was selected by secondary students who self-identify as First Nations, Metis, or Inuit. After a virtual voting process, Loyalist Collegiate & Vocational Institute (LCVI) student Quanah Traviss was selected to represent Indigenous students in Limestone.
Traviss, who returned to LCVI for a fifth year in September 2020, said in his election platform that he wanted to represent Indigenous students to ensure their voice is included. “To be a trustee would give me an opportunity to advocate for many other students whose voices are not being heard when they should, and to represent the interests of hundreds of years of cultures and teachings,” said Traviss. “The opportunity to do this means more to me than anything I have previously done for my community, and I would be grateful for a chance to represent my people in a way where I could make a difference.”