'Time sure does fly' as the Matawa Education and Care Centre honours graduating class of 2022

This piece is part of CBC Thunder Bay's special National Indigenous Peoples Day coverageMino Bimaadiziwin The Good Life.

You can find all of our coverage here.

In just three years. Antoine Moonias has gone from starting high school at the Matawa Education and Care Centre to graduating class valedictorian.

The 18-year-old was one of the graduates in the school's Class of 2022 that was honoured in a ceremony on Tuesday in Thunder Bay.

The graduation was the first to take place in the school's newly renovated building.

"Watching it grow as you grow older and pursue graduation, it really gave me a sense of mind that I'm growing as the school grows and I'm growing with the people around me," Moonias said.

"Time sure does fly, and it does fly really quick here because you're always having fun and having such a great time."

The school is operated by the education department of Matawa First Nations Management, a tribal council representing nine First Nations in northern Ontario.

Principal Brad Battiston said the school has its own mental wellness staff, along with a partnership with St. Joseph's Care Group to support students. The curriculum includes an extensive land-based program and outdoor education credits, with cultural workers and elders embedded in the classrooms.

"We have a holistic approach to education for our students," Battiston said. "We have a flexibility to our program that is unique and really doesn't exist anywhere in Ontario with the level of supports we have here."

Battiston said the school creates individualized learning plans for each student, which includes addressing academic and mental wellness needs. The school doesn't have time limits for students to complete credits, and has continuous enrolment.

Elder's presence was 'beam of light'

Moonias shared a special moment with elder Emily Jacob, with the two embracing. Moonias said the elder was someone he talked to on a regular basis during his time at the school.

"Her presence around the room was always like a beam of light, and I liked that about her," he said. "Sometimes students might need that because of the negativity they might face in their lives or with themselves."

Matawa started operating a school in Thunder Bay in 2010 and acquired its current site the former Grandview Lodge long-term care facility on Lillie Street from the City of Thunder Bay in 2018.

The organization has received millions of dollars in funding for renovations, which include on-site student accommodations that will open in September.

"That full circle of care is something that our students deserve, our parents have asked for, and community leadership has supported," Battiston said.

Moonias said he intends to pursue the film production program at Confederation College and has a strong interest in video editing, which was made evident by a video shown during the ceremony that he shot and produced just one day earlier.

He was also one of two students honoured with the Jordan Wabasse Memorial Awards, in recognition of athletics.

This piece is part of CBC Thunder Bay's special National Indigenous Peoples Day coverageMino Bimaadiziwin The Good Life.You can find all of our coverage here.