Uniting Our Possibilities
The Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board’s Special Education Advisory Committee continued the rich tradition of bringing parents, staff, community partners, and members together for the 23rd Annual Carousel Evening on Wednesday, October 23 at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall. This year’s Carousel event theme Uniting Our Possibilities featured keynote speaker Isaac Murdoch, a world-renowned artist and gifted storyteller from Serpent River First Nation, who shared his inspiring personal story of discovering his strengths and talents despite any obstacles he encountered in life.
The evening began with a ‘carousel’ of information booths from community partners, including Learning Disabilities of Ontario, Nipissing Down Syndrome Society, OUTLoud North Bay, and North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, offering guests the opportunity to learn more about local resources and support.
Following the opening remarks, local Special Olympic athletes Alisha Windsor and Carley Tucker shared their heartfelt stories of overcoming personal challenges to achieve success in sport. Carley highlighted her achievement of raising $1,442 for the community’s Polar Plunge, with a goal to surpass that amount next year, while Alisha shared her excitement of excelling in sports such as soccer and skiing which led to her qualifying for the World Special Olympic Winter Games in Kazan, Russia scheduled for January 2023. Although the Winter Games were cancelled due to the pandemic, she affirmed with confidence “I’m not going to give up, I’m just going to keep trying.”
Following the Special Olympians, the evening’s keynote speaker, Isaac Murdoch, was invited to the stage where he shared his inspiring life journey of resilience, hope, and love. He spoke about discovering his strengths and talents despite life’s obstacles, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
“I feel it is important to share who we are as people, because so many of us can relate to each other. When we share our stories, we lift each other up and inspire others to move forward and find health and happiness in life”, Murdoch reflected.
Murdoch, also an artist, shared that his artwork has been purchased by notable figures, including Kevin Costner, the Dalai Lama, NASA, the Black Eyed Peas, Joaquin Pheonix, and Bruno Mars.
SEAC Chair, Marie Derosier, explained the importance of engaging our parents and community in support of their children and students and especially those with special education needs. Derosier said, “Too often, people with special needs can have their strengths and talents overlooked because the focus is on their disability. Alisha, Carley, and Isaac reminded us how important it is to discover our individual strengths and talents, and to also use these to lift others up so that they may also find their strengths and talents in order to achieve great things together.” Derosier concluded by stating that the event was both moving and inspiring, and extended her appreciation to the speakers who shared their personal stories.
More information on Isaac Murdoch can be found at https://isaacmurdoch.com/