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Jun 03, 2023

Historic FABLAB ceremony in Akwesasne celebrates class of June 2023

AKWESASNE — It was an historic day Wednesday in the Tsi Snaihne district of

AKWESASNE — It was an historic day Wednesday in the Tsi Snaihne district of Akwesasne.

The Iohahi:io Akwesasne Education & Training Institute, well-established in the community but with a new FABLAB program being offered starting in January, had it's first-ever FABLAB closing ceremony, with diplomas presented to 10 graduates – the first group of skilled trades students at the adult-learning campus.

"This is the first (FABLAB graduating class) in Akwesasne, and the first in all of Ontario," Jessica Villemaire , Pathways manager with the Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board of Education, told the graduates, eliciting a happy response.

"Yes, pretty cool – give yourselves a big round of applause."

A bit earlier in a tour of the FABLAB, Villemaire pointed out the 3D printers in the classroom, a laser engraving area, and two embroidering machines from Giroux Sewing Centre in Cornwall, among other features and tools.

The institute is a member of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium of Ontario, and Akwesasne is one of only eight First Nation communities (Six Nations of the Grand River has two Indigenous institutes) across Ontario with its own higher-education facility to serve its people. Iohahi:io partners with post-secondary educational institutes to offer certificate, diploma, and degree programs and training opportunities that strengthen people and community.

FABLAB is a first for the institute, the first class with 15 members starting in early January. Villemaire pointed out five students left the program, but because they found employment, so score that a win too.

She said the second class started May 1 with 18 students – which is actually a bit over capacity – and that there's a waiting list already for third class intake in September.

At the podium during the ceremony, Villemaire had numerous shoutouts, including for community partners, and businesses where students did work placements.

In fact, two students were commissioned by Tsi Snaihne businesses to create signage, which will go up imminently at a large sign on River and Snye roads just west of the training institute.

Villemaire in her remarks thanked the graduating students, for embracing the program very early on in 2023, telling them their "projects are truly inspiring," and the learners are trailblazers, with FABLAB helping them prepare for their careers, connecting with their culture, and creating local services that means people won't have to go elsewhere to seek.

Students had their projects on display at the ceremony, including a Mohawk immersion sensory board, made by Totawatensewen McDonald. She said the sensory board is for assisting children with their motor skills, and hers included the letters in the Mohawk alphabet, moccasins, and the three sisters of corn, beans, and squash.

"It's made to be very interactive," said McDonald, who constructed it with the use of a 3D printer, laser engraver, woodworking machine and some vinyl material.

"I honestly didn't know anything about the (FABLAB) program, but I had heard of 3D printing, and I thought, ‘hmm, that's something I could get into,’" McDonald said.

McDonald said as a child she was very artistic, and her FABLAB project again "brought out the artist in me. I got really passionate about this program.’’

When choosing what project to work on, McDonald and other students first pondered a question from program instructors: what can you do to help the community?

McDonald, who's a mom, thought of children, and now she plans to donate the sensory board to the Akwesasne Mohawk School.

Villemaire too in her remarks said when the institute was approached about offering the program, staff reaction was, "what's a FABLAB?"

She said it took only a short time before everyone understood the importance of it.

The funder for the FABLAB is First Peoples Innovation Centre/FABLAB ONAKI.

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