First Nations


danheadshot.jpgDan Christmas, Chairman and Director of Planning for the EPIC Board of Directors and Senior Adviser to the Chief and Council of Membertou First Nations, is the winner of the National Excellence in Aboriginal Leadership Award for contributions at a regional level. This is one of two awards given by the National Aboriginal Financial Officers Association each year.

The award was presented to Dan in Montreal on February 14, 2008.

Dan was nominated by the Unama’ki Economic Benefits Office in Membertou. Criteria for the award include demonstrating leadership that motivates and inspires as well as raises the standards of aboriginal finance and management. The association is recognizing Dan’s vision for excellence and the highest standards of contribution to an effective, well-managed and governed community.

The EPIC Board and staff, who have known and worked with Dan for many years and who are always appreciative of his wisdom, intelligence, hard work and kind nature, are pleased to see others singling him out for this well-deserved recognition.

Congratulations, Dan!

lighthouse icon In the fall of 2007, EPIC began a partnership with the Eskasoni First Nations School District to bring Youth Peer-style math tutoring to the students of Eskasoni.

With funding from the Eskasoni School Board, teacher and former Vice-Principal of Eskasoni High School, Newell Johnson—who has been tutoring students after school on a volunteer basis for several years—will oversee Eskasoni student volunteers as they tutor junior high and high school students in math.

In November, Newell brought 15 of her volunteer tutors to Sydney to attend a Tutor Training session provided by the staff of the Youth Peer Program.

Tutoring sessions will be held in the Eskasoni High School on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:30. There is limited availability for these tutoring slots and therefore students are selected by school referral.

EPIC provides financial management of this project as well as tutor education and on-going support and supervision.