Social Changemakers: Recent Episodes
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R.I.S.E. Academy is a Not for Private virtual high school that focuses on service learning, connecting youth to their community and finding ways to create solutions to problems related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. On this podcast the youth in the program interview amazing people who are doing things to create change.
The Complexities of Climate Changewith Kate & Dr. Cynthia Cheney
In this episode,
Grade 10 Science student host Kate interviews environmental scientist Cynthia Cheney, who joins us with her 9-month-old, Briar. Together, they explore what climate change is, it's affects.
They discuss practical solutions—what individuals, communities, governments, and industries can do—and the important question of how likely it is that we can limit the most serious impacts. This conversation focuses on clear, science-based information and realistic hope, showing why climate action matters and what steps can make a difference.
Listen to Episode 2 of Michelle’s podcast! 🎙️
This week, we discuss all things Enchanted Charmz — what it’s like being a business owner, the creative process, markets, and so much more!
Welcome to The Mixed Batch by Michelle Tippeneskum — a podcast where we talk about everything!
From gaming to beading, from art to baking, this show is truly a mixed batch. Tune in to our first episode, where we introduce ourselves and help you get acquainted with the podcast.
In this episode, Maggie Hughson—Grade 11 R.I.S.E. student, U18 Team Canada member, and future UConn Husky—interviews Sarah Thompson, St. Lawrence graduate and 2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award Recipient. Sarah, the first from St. Lawrence and 12th female to earn this honor, shares her journey as a student-athlete from Orleans, Ontario, and the impact of balancing hockey with community service. Together, Maggie and Sarah discuss leadership, giving back, and the importance of making a difference beyond the rink.
After being inspired by the global content creator initiative #TeamWater, led by Mr. Beast, Cameron takes his passion for water issues to a more local level. In this episode, he sits down with Ryan Hreljac, Founder and Executive Director of the Ryan’s Well Foundation. Ryan, who has dedicated his life to addressing clean water and sanitation challenges around the world, shares his journey and powerful message: anyone can make a difference, no matter their age or background.
Ryan emphasizes that creating positive change begins with finding a cause you’re truly passionate about and then taking concrete steps to act on it. For him, that cause has always been water. Together, Cameron and Ryan explore the importance of water accessibility, the impact of youth-led initiatives, and the role of community in driving change. The conversation also highlights Cameron’s own upcoming project—the Hydrothon fundraiser—and how it connects to the larger movement of empowering young people to take action in meaningful ways.
In this episode, youth participants connect with athletes Cole Beaudoin, Kashawn Aitcheson, and Sadie Hotles to learn what it takes to reach the next level. Highlights:* 🚍 Fun memories from team bus rides * 💪 The importance of doing the work when no one’s watching * 👕 How dressing well boosts confidence: “Look good, feel good, play good.”
A motivating and down-to-earth conversation packed with advice and inspiration for rising athletes.
In the debut episode of The R.I.S.E. Elite Hockey Program podcast, youth participants reflect on a week dedicated to building resilience — both on and off the ice. To cap off their experience, they sit down with one of Ottawa’s most inspiring examples of resilience: Brandon Peacock. Brandon shares his harrowing yet transformative story of surviving a drive-by shooting that left him fighting for his life and nearly cost him his leg. Instead of succumbing to despair, he chose to embrace the pain, endure months of intense rehabilitation, and rebuild his life with a sense of purpose. His journey from victim to changemaker — founding Hit The Ground Running to help others navigate trauma — offers powerful lessons about grit, mindset, and the power of community. Join us as the youth and Brandon explore what it truly means to rise after being knocked down.
After hosting an interview with Chantelle Dubois from Mission Control in Ottawa, Kate, a grade 9 student at RISE Academy, reflects on the key takeaways from their discussion. The conversation shed light on the challenges and opportunities within STEM fields, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and perseverance and considered how gaming skills like focus and problem solving can have real-world applications in high-tech careers. Kate discusses her renewed understanding of the importance of staying open to new opportunities, taking risks, and actively pursuing their interests in STEM and beyond.
In this episode, Ola and Jada have an honest conversation about their journeys as black women navigating predominantly white spaces. Jada, an amazing hockey player, recounts her experiences of facing discrimination and racism on the ice, shedding light on the unique challenges in a sport where she’s often one of the few Black athletes. Meanwhile, Ola reflects on what it means to be black in the classroom and beyond. Together discuss their struggles and triumphs that have shaped their identity. They also share about the power of community and the importance of finding support among those who share similar experiences. They also offer practical tips and advice for young Black youth. Their conversation is a heartfelt reminder of how bonding over shared challenges can create a strong, supportive network for future generations.
In this episode, Ola and Harmony open up about their journeys as black women, focusing on the challenges they encountered at school and the vital role of community. They discuss how being surrounded by others who share similar experiences creates a support system that is both empowering and comforting. Throughout their conversation, they exchange helpful advice, share personal tips, and offer insights for young Black youth navigating the complexities of identity and belonging. Their bond, formed through shared hardships, victories and fun times serves as a reminder of the strength found in unity and understanding.
In this episode of Growing Up Black, Ola opens up about her experiences as a Black woman, reflecting on the struggles that have shaped her journey. She is joined by her friend Alec, and together they dive into what it was like navigating school as Black students. From dealing with stereotypes to finding spaces where they truly belonged, they share personal stories that many young Black youth can relate to. Beyond just storytelling, Ola and Alec offer practical advice, tips, and strategies to help the next generation face similar challenges with confidence. This conversation is all about empowerment, identity, and the importance of lifting each other up. Don't miss this insightful and inspiring discussion.
In today's episode of Growing Up Black, Ola shares her personal journey growing up as a Black woman, exploring the challenges and triumphs she faced along the way. Joined by her friend Christie, they discuss the impact of culture, identity, and the importance of community. Together, they reflect on their shared experiences and dive deep into the nuances of growing up Black, touching on themes of belonging, resilience, and the strength they found in one another's friendship. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation that highlights the richness of their stories.
Welcome to the first episode of Season 9 of our podcast! In this exciting debut, Kate, a passionate space enthusiast learning all the way from Poland, hosts her very first episode. Joining her is Shannon Clement, a Fractional CMO specializing in B2B Tech, Space Tech, and Aerospace startups and scale-ups. Shannon shares her wealth of experience in providing marketing and communications leadership to fuel business growth in the space industry.Kate's love for space, inspired by her father, has driven her dream of pursuing a career in this incredible field. This episode is a celebration of connection, curiosity, and collaboration as Kate embarks on her journey to spotlight amazing women in the space industry. Tune in to hear inspiring insights, career advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating world of space tech and marketing.Let’s reach for the stars together! 🌌✨
Rebecca had the opportunity to go into one of the local public high schools and chat with some young minds. Here is what they had to say about what the imagine school could be.
Bella is a long-time RISE student, who is jumping into the world of podcasting. In her first podcast, she dives into Indigenous media and openly discusses the film, 'The Grizzlies' with Abbey. Stay tuned to see what Bella does next!
This week, Naomi takes on a new podcast! Naomi is a grade 11 student with R.I.S.E. Academy. This semester, Naomi will be taking us through her course through the method of podcasting. Listen to the first episode to learn more about Naomi, her interests and goals!
Welcome back to another episode of the social change makers podcast! In this episode, Ben Watzenboeck and Jacob Bangs discuss many issues within the hockey community. They explore areas of accessibility, racism and much more! Tune in and enjoy!
Welcome back to another episode of the social change makers podcast! In this episode, Maia Peters discusses the world of sports management with former Ottawa Rough Riders general manager, Jo-Anne Polak. They talk about the nature of the job and the various challenges women face in this world of work. Enjoy!
Welcome to another episode of the social change makers podcast! This summer, Connor Ronberg dives into the world of philosophy with Cam Lamoureux. They talk about big topics such as ethics and metaphysics. Listen in and enjoy!
In this podcast, two R.I.S.E. Academy summer students, Ben and Tyson, talk all about baseball. What is this sport all about? Why do people watch (or not)? Who is changing the game? What are some of the current issues in baseball? Give it a listen to learn more!
Welcome back to another episode hosted by Abbey. This year, she has been working with an amazing group of young men from Kayla's Children's Centre in Thornhill. The boys discuss the book they have been reading this semester for English, alongside the passion project they worked on as a class. Big lessons are learned, as things do not always go to plan, but they show resilience and willingness to try new things! Enjoy!
In this episode, our R.I.S.E student Rachel interviews Mark Fraser, a former ice hockey defenceman in the NHL who is currently leading the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Listen in to learn more about his life, his NHL career, and the different ways he promotes social justice in hockey!
In this episode meet Koree and Ava from Arnprior DHS who are a part of the Health and Wellness and Sport SHSM program. Today they worked on ICE training where they connected with Sarah from the Youth Wellness Hub and leared about all the amazing things available to Renfrew County Youth. Have a listen to find out what is happnening the Valley.
In this episode, we join Tafari as he wraps up his world cultures course. You will hear about world cultures through the view of someone who has lived on two continents and three countries. Tafari shares about his recent trip to visit Family in Trinidad and Tobago and more.
In this episode, we hear from siblings Riley and Jeff. They both wrap up their courses while talking about their past and future. Listen in as they chat about sports, school and being brothers.
In this episode, we wrap up Matthias’s Anthropology sociology and psychology class. Matthias reviews Sociology concepts like social cohesion and the future of humans through mars colonization. We talk about the way we act, why and what impacts it.
On this episode of the Social Changemakers Podcast, we talk about Canada’s history in the Olympics and some of Canada’s top medal earners. Enjoy the history of some of Canada’s greatest sports.
In this episode of the Social Changemakers podcast, you will learn about gender neutral washrooms, what they are, and why they’re important. Including lived experiences from trans youth discussing washrooms and their difficulties.
Welcome back to another season of the Social Changemakers Podcast! In the first episode of the season, this podcast dives into interesting advice about writing and publishing. It's filled with cool info about the book American Hippo with author Sarah Gailey. Learn all about their background in how they started writing, the fun story of how they got their agent, great advice for writing, and lots more!
In this episode, a new Rise student named Connor walks us through his journey of debunking some myths about cancer research. He shows us the progress he has made on his passion project during his time at R.I.S.E. Connor hopes he continues this journey by making big plans for the future.
We had the pleasure of meeting with Karin from Parkdale Food Center, where she outlined her role, and what her food bank does. She emphasized the importance of her organization's work in her neighbourhood of Hintonburg, and the significance of using food as a connecting tool. This organization aims to bring dignity to people and build relationships from neighbour to neighbour as they feed their neighbourhood and ensure food security. The biggest lessons learned were those of the importance of food choice, neighbour connections, EVERYONE no matter the age can help and make a difference, AND dignity for all; as well as the need to find bigger solutions to our food needs in the future. Food banks lay a great foundation, but they are only the first stepping stone in fixing a bigger food problem.
In this episode of the Social Changemakers, Our class got together with Tanya from Water First Education and Training Inc. Tanya explained the impact and goals of Water First, as well as gave everyday solutions and helpful hints to our students on how they could help. Her organization focuses on bringing clean water solutions to Northern and Indigenous communities through training, workshops, and volunteering experiences. They focus on partnerships within their community, encouraging youth to find a voice and action for the problems, and spreading awareness on clean water issues they encounter. The students learned a LOT about water issues within their own province and had a lot of questions throughout that helped build their overall understanding that not everyone in Canada has clean water access... But that they all deserve it!
On this episode of the Social Changemakers, Avery and Will will discuss their fundraising 5K for Camp Misquah, a camp for people with special needs. They will reflect on its success and what they learned about themselves while trying to organize the event.
On this episode of the Social Change Makers podcast, Jeffrey interviews Seija Deschenes, the project coordinator at Manitoulin Streams. Jeffrey will share his experience volunteering with Manitoulin Streams and the problems with Phragmities, an invasive weed spreading across Ontario. We will also find out what types of things conservation organisations are doing to protect the environment and ways that we can help.
In this episode, we meet Tori, Dani, Charlotte, Brooke, Maeve and Heather who have joined us for the summer program. We learn all about them, what breaks their heart and what they want to do to solve that problem. We also debate which is better Minecraft or Roblox, which one do you prefer?
This week on the Social Change Makers podcast, Mohammad discusses his 15km run to raise money and awareness for the people of Syria. Mohammad talks about the trials and triumphs of organizing a fundraiser. He also shares some very important messages and morals you do not want to miss!
Episode 6 is Destimatize Your Minds final episode for this season! Abbey and Simon wrap up the podcast and Pride Month by talking about Rainbow Washing and taking a look at examples of it.
In this episode, Mikayla discusses her roles in the Blow The Whistle on Racism tournament such as writing and presenting a land acknowledgement and preparing silent auction items. Mikayla really dives into what it means to be an ally, and starts to brainstorm for next year's events!
Welcome back to the Social Change Makers Podcast! Amy continues her exploration of business management through a conversation with Abbey about good and bad business practices. Furthermore, they begin to discuss some of the pillars of white supremacy in organizations to see if any of these play a role in the bad practices they explore. Thanks for listening!
In this podcast hosted by Zenya, we learn about her baba (grandmother), Tamara, and her immigration to Canada from Germany after her parents were displaced from their home country, Ukraine. Topics that we discussed were, how she and her parents travelled to Canada, what were some highlights and lowlights from their journey, what she thought of Canada when she first arrived, how her and her parents life changed overtime, and finally, how immigration impacts Canada. This is the last Voices of Toronto episode, but the podcast has achieved what it was initially set out to do; share the stories of immigrants from around the world, along with their opinions and perspectives on immigration, so that listeners may be able to "step into their shoes" and understand and learn from their experiences.
Welcome back to Destigmatize Your Mind. This week on episode 4, Simon and Abbey go over some asexual and aromantic micro labels. This is the second part to a two part podcast. Enjoy!
This week, Amy brings on Brenda Hollingsworth of Auger Hollingsworth Law Firm to discuss how they operate and run their successful business, as well as what they do in the law field. Amy asks about the shift to working at home, typical cases and community involvement. This is one you won’t want to miss!
In this podcast hosted by Zenya, we learn about Gert Jurgeneit and his immigration to Canada from Germany. Topics that we discussed were, how his life was like when he first arrived in Canada and how that changed over time, if he thinks Toronto is diverse/multicultural, and his thoughts on how immigration impacts Canada. Listening to this podcast, you will learn about Gert's perspective on immigration and how that is reflected in Toronto
In this podcast, R.I.S.E. student Amy interviews a local personal injury lawyer, her father, David Hollingsworth. We touch on the hardest parts of the job, the best parts of the job and the background of David Hollingsworth personally. We even discuss the business side of things. Most questions are based mostly on the law and business aspect of his life. Hope you enjoy it!
In this episode of the Social Change Makers Podcast, two R.I.S.E. students, Jacob and Tristan sit down to discuss their projects. They are both focusing on youth mental health and they share their projects, discuss the importance and break down some of the stigma. This is one you don't want to miss.
On episode 3 of Destigmatize Your Mind, Abbey and Simon discuss Mental Health Awareness Week, and scratch the surface of asexual, and aromantic identities.
Crisis Connections
CMHA Crisis- 705-728-5044
Trans Lifeline- 1-877-330-6366
LGBTQ2+ Youth Line- 1-800-268-9688
Kids Help Phone- 1-800-668-6868
First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Line- 1-855-242-3310
CMHA Addiction- 705-790-2338
Tristan had the opportunity to chat with Yimiao, one of the student teachers, to touch on how mental health is viewed in China. In this episode, Tristan interviews Yimiao to learn more about youth mental health in China.
In Ellie's final podcast, she gets the opportunity to chat with Naomi, Bella and Amy about the pressures of social media. The girls discuss how to navigate social media, the dangers of portraying yourself a certain way online and how to stay safe and mentally healthy in the digital world!
In this week's episode Maylin Bradford from South Carlton spoke with Sophia co-founder of limitless youth about the organization that helps kids and teens with social challenges. They spoke about how the organization started, what they do, and had some fun with only using a certain amount of words to create a catchphrase. If you want to learn more tap the video and listen in on what was said.
In this podcast hosted by Zenya, we learn about her former teacher, Sadhvi Chohan, and her immigration to Canada from her home country, India. Topics that we discussed were, how she travelled to Canada, what were some highlights and lowlights from her journey, what she thought of Canada when she first arrived, and finally, how immigration impacts Canada. Listening to this podcast, you will gain a detailed perspective on what it is like to immigrate to Canada, specifically from India.
In episode two of Destigmatize Your Mind, Simon and Abbey break down an essay written by J.K. Rowling.
Here is the link to the website for anyone that wants to read it.
https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/
In this podcast hosted by Zenya, we learn about student teacher, Chushu, and her experience with studying abroad in Canada. Topics that we discussed were, what she thought of Canada when she first arrived from China, how is Thunder Bay multicultural, or not, how this relates to other places in Canada, and finally, how people coming from all over the world to Canada impacts the country. Listening to this podcast, you will gain a perspective on what it is like to study abroad in Canada.
In this episode, Tori met with Helga in northern Manitoba from the Northern and Remote Health network. They discuss difficulties in accessing medical supplies, the importance of doctors in rural areas and practicing Indigenous medicine in northern hospitals. Take a listen to better educate yourself and others on these important topics just as we did!
In this podcast hosted by Zenya, we learn about her grandfather, Matt Lebar, and his immigration to Canada from his home country, Slovenia. Topics that we discussed were, how he travelled to Canada, what were some highlights and lowlights of his journey, what he thought of Canada when he first arrived, how views on immigration changed since then, and finally, how immigration impacts Canada. A key take away from this podcast is that without immigration, Canada might not be what it is today. As people have brought ideas, technology, and more from various countries around the world to Canada, it helped shape the country and our society. Listening to this podcast, you will gain a perspective on what it is like to immigrate to Canada.
Welcome to the first episode of Simon's new podcast 'Destigmatize Your Mind' joined by Kara. In this episode he discusses the importance of discussing and normalizing pronouns. Furthermore, Simon introduces the history of International Transgender Day of Visibility.
Welcome back to another episode of the social change makers podcast! In this episode Jenna will be talking to her teammates Alex, Naomi and Nya about the mental game of tennis!
Welcome back to the AA of Social Media. In this week's podcast, Abbey and Ellie discuss the legal parameters of working in social media. What are the ethical dilemmas of social media? How do contracts work? How do you make money as an influencer? Stay tuned and find out!
Welcome back to another episode of the AA of Social Media. In this episode, Abbey and Ellie discuss how social media has strongly influenced our lives. From things like our shopping patterns, relationships and even education. This can alter our behaviours, beliefs, and even basic health. We also discuss the historical context of social media. Listen in to hear the good, bad and the ugly.
In this Episode, we meet Gayle from Food4Kids in the Halton area. We talked about what they’re doing at Food4kids and learned about stories of people the charity was able to help. We dive deeper into how poverty affects kids in local areas. Listeners at home can help the cause by donating food, money or time to your local branch of Food4Kids. Check out the list of needed goods online!
Welcome back to The AA of Social Media. This week, Ellie and Abbey discuss the power of social media. How can social media shape good social change? Can social media create dangerous ideologies? Listen in and hear us dish it out.
Welcome to The AA of Social Media - a new podcast where we talk about all things social media. In this podcast Abbey and Ellie talk about the different types of Social Media, everyday life impact and most importantly how everything you put online stays online forever!!! We will also give you some insight for what to expect for the series. Enjoy!
In this episode, R.I.S.E academy student Kirsten Downs is joined by Olympic gold medalist Tessa Bonhomme. The two of them talked about gender equality in women's hockey along with much more! Listen to hear about Tessa’s experiences, life lessons and her hockey career!
In this wrap up podcast for Zenya's passion project, she and facilitator, Abbey, talk about scientific illustration, which was the topic of her project. During their discussion, they touched on communicating scientific illustration through writing and podcasting, interviewing scientific illustrators and discussing why that's important to communicate, what were some of the key things that Zenya took away from her passion project, and what she learned and what skills she gained throughout her passion project.
This week, Tessa had the chance to sit down and talk to sports coach and mentor, John Haime. He has his own business who believes everyone can succeed in what they do. He is there to help athletes get to the next level of their sports whether that is the olympics, college level or university. He talks about how it is not only skill but a big part of it is mentality for the sport. He is there to make them better and to believe in you to follow your dreams. It was an amazing talk, especially because Tessa is interested in going into the same field as he is in. She continued to learn about the schooling involvement and the different paths I could go through to get there!
On this episode of the social changemakers podcast we're joined by Sam from Waterfirst. Hosted by Timalma Abukari and Emma Shipman, In this podcast we get to learn about waterfirst and find out who they are and what they do. There were multiple insightful questions such as, “what is waterfirsts goal”, “what kinds of projects waterfirst is working on right now” where asked. We find out more about their water quality programs, how online has changed their operations and accessible water worldwide.
My name is Tessa Shimizu and this is my second time doing a podcast throughout this course (Leadership and Healthy Active Living). During this podcast, I had a chance to talk with Anna who is very knowledgeable in many fields surrounding health, nutrition and fitness. At the beginning of this conversation Anna talks about who she is and what roles she plays in the healthy living industry. What is unique about this podcast is that Anna, Abbey and I focused mainly on the struggles in social media and being a woman trying to start a healthy life. Anna explains to me that the social media posts are very misleading, but at the same time we cannot blame them as that is how they make money. This subject interested me a lot and I am glad I learned more about it!
Gracie is a grade 12 student at St. Mark High School and R.I.S.E. Academy. She has spent the last year and half going to both of these schools. Over this time she has been able to really look at herself and become an advocate for herself as well as those who don't necessarily fit in the school box. Listen to her first episode in her series (name TBD) on what school has done to her over the years.
Hi my name is Jenna, and for my passion project I have been exploring health care and lack of healthcare in marginalized communities. In this episode, I got the opportunity to interview Callie Latem, a harm reduction worker at Somerset West Community health Centre to understand some of the issues in the community due to a lack of healthcare and how the pandemic has affected these issues. Listen in to learn more about how we can support the community!
Website: https://www.swchc.on.ca/
My name is Francesco and in this episode I interview Nick J Kyte, a real estate agent in the Ottawa region. Being knowledgeable on a topic as big as buying a home has been something I have been very passionate about. Growing up I’ve seen my dad build many homes and sell them to make profit. I have always been interested in all the things that come along with it. I feel as though others need to be more educated on this topic more as it is one of the things coming out of school that no one truly understands the concept of. This is why I interviewed Nick to not only give myself the knowledge but to share with others as well.
A few questions that were asked were, as a first time home buyer what would be the best way to buy a house? Would it be better to go in with friends and split the costs? Renovate? Sell for higher? With the market being at the price being very expensive, what is it like for a first time home buyer right now? What types of things would you have liked to know if you were your younger self buying a home for the first again?
Many more questions like these were answered, check it out!
My name is Tessa Shimizu and this is my second course with R.I.S.E academy. In my leadership course I have focused on the healthy living aspect. During this podcast, I got a chance to have a discussion with personal trainer and nutritionist Saleh. Throughout the conversation, Saleh talks about his journey in becoming a trainer, his struggles and achievements. He continues by explaining how everyone is different and every individual needs different amounts of physical activity depending on many factors. Saleh adapts to every client he has and pushes them to do their best! By the end, he explains the importance of resting your body to not overwork it. It was an amazing experience!
Zenya is learning about the importance of combining science and art to make scientific art and illustrations. In this episode, Zenya interviews Jon, a scientific illustrator in the Netherlands, and youtuber under the name DrawBioMedScientificIllustratorJon. Discussions are about his Masters program that brought him into the world of scientific illustration, what scientific illustration is and how he uses it in the medical/biology field, why scientific art is important, and how scientific illustrations can help people visualize certain things that can be hard to understand.
In this podcast with Emma Shipman and Kirsten Downs, got the chance to talk with Jaclyn Hawkins, founder of Women’s Hockey Life about her life and the program she runs. Listen to learn more about W.H.L, gender equality in sports broadcasting and what these girls think about it all.
In this episode Josh conducts another interview in his quest to learn more about the Right to Repair Movement. Anthony Rosborough from the Canadian Repair Association shares his knowledge and views on the Right to Repair Movement. Anthony is an IP Lawyer and Researcher based out of Nova Scotia.
In this episode, RISER Mohammad continues to discuss the past and present of Syria with others. Former student of R.I.S.E. Academy, Haneen Darwesh, joins Mohammad as a special guest to discuss her experience of coming to Canada from Syria. Mohammad and Haneen also discuss some of the major differences between Canada and Syria from an environmental lens. Haneen reminds us to move forward with kindness, as simple acts can go a long way.
In this episode, RISER Mohammad Almafaalani and RISE facilitator Adam Farhat navigate a powerful conversation about the Civil War in Syria. This conversation is in effort to teach other Canadians about what has taken place and what is still happening. This semester, Mohammad will be creating a series through interviewing other Syrian people to listen and learn about each other's experiences. Mohammad will also be running 10kms in effort to raise money for individuals in Syria.
In this episode RISER Josh Lloyd interviews Erin Knight from open media. Erin is a Digital Rights Campaigner at OpenMedia. Josh chats with Erin about the "Right to Repair" movement. The Right to Repair movement fights for a guarantee of the right of users to maintain and repair the electronic equipment we buy.
In this episode, a group of semester 1 RISERS discuss their current projects and give us some updates. Join Ella, Francesco, Reynah, Jenna and Kirsten as they give us some insight to their awesome projects. Rebecca sits down and asks them some questions to further dive into their passion projects.
Starting a new passion project in Civics and Careers, Zenya is learning about the importance of combining science and art to make scientific art. In this episode, Zenya interviews Elizabeth Mills, a marine biologist in Scotland and Youtuber under the name MarineMumbles. Discussions are about her PhD work that combines marine biology and engineering, what scientific art is and how she uses it in with marine biology, why scientific art is important to a younger audience, and how scientific art can give people a love of science! Elizabeth also talks about her Youtube channel and some fantastic books that explain various marine biology topics in new ways. At the end, a brief talk about crab exoskeletons represents what kinds of topics Elizabeth talks about on her Youtube channel.
www.marinemumbles.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRDsYk5kU1mHCksjedQQ1mA
https://www.instagram.com/marinemumbles/?hl=en
In this episode Beatrix interview Emily Sinkinson, author of the book Not Too Long Ago. The girls and Rebecca talk about the book, why Emily decided to write it and the importance of listening to Indigenous voices.
In this first episode of the 10-1 podcast Leila and Callie get to interview a mentor of theirs. They both met Rebecca Leslie last hockey season when she came out to help with their hockey team. Rebecca is a fantastic hockey player who has played for the Lady Sens, Boston University and who currently plays for Montreal in the Professional Women's Hockey Player Association. Hear what she has to say about gender inequality in hockey.
Meet Leila and Callie, two RISERS who want to know why, as hockey players, they will never have the opportunity to make millions. Join their journey on their 10-1 podcast where they interview amazing women to talk about this issue.
In this episode Michelle interviews Cheryl Randall to learn more about Ecology Ottawa, what they do and how she and others can help.
In this episode Rebecca interviews Haneen. Haneen is currently taking the Social Enterprise course and has decided she would like to create a podcast where she can share her stories as a newcomer to Canada. She hopes to share her successes and failures so that others can learn from her experiences. In this first episode she talks about her first couple of weeks in school and how she experienced culture shock.
In this episode Tristan interviews Hannah Belton who is a teen advocate for DIFD. Hannah shares her experience by being on a panel with DIFD this past spring.
In this episode Tristan interviews former social change maker Madison Hawken. Maddie shares her view on mental health and what her and her friends did to support DIFD when she was in high school.
In this episode we interview Nicole, Executive Director of Safe Dinking Water Foundation. We learn a ton about drinking water sources, treatment and why Canada's First Nations people do not have clean and safe drinking water.
In this episode Abbey and Fatuma have a conversation about Fatuma's home country Eritrea. Fatuma is passionate about making people aware of what is happening in her home country as she believes that there is not a whole lot of coverage on the situation here in Canada. She is very brave and shares her story about coming to Canada.
In this final episode for the quadmester Aurora dives deeper into her passion project about social media as she interviews Dr. Jennifer Mariasine, Psychoeducational consultant who works for the Learning Support Services Team at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Her role encompasses both the assessment and counselor role at the school level. Aurora and Jennifer discuss social media and its affects on youth.
In this episode we hear Mohammad's and Kyla's thoughts on their projects, the school system and how important it is to dismantle hierarchy between adults and youth.
In this episode Gracie interviews Mary Johnston the co-director of the Nepean Days for Girls chapter. We learn about period poverty and how days for girls helps those in need of menstruation kits and education around the world.
In this episode, Rebecca interviews Mohammad, Gracie, Jack and Adam to hear about their experience in the Open Passion Project model of learning. In it we learn about their projects and how in this model the student really gets to take the lead. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to try giving your students more ownership over their learning, then give this a listen and hear first hand from youth who are in the drivers seat.
It is quadmester 4 and time to reflect. Listen to what Mohammad, Colter and Kyla have been up to for the last 5 weeks.
In this episode Jack, who is taking grade 11 English hosts his first book club. This quad Jack chose to read Willie, an autobiography of Willie O'Ree, the first black hockey player in the NHL. In this book club is Bob Dawson, the first black hockey player at St. Mary's University in 1967, Kate Treacy, teacher, hockey coach and granddaughter of Red Sullivan and Jack's aunt and Rebecca. If you are interested in hockey and social justice, then give this a listen.
In this first episode on season 5 Aurora is back for another quadmester. This quad she is taking the Intro to Anthro, Psych and Soc course. Her passion project is to learn as much as possible about what Social Media and the internet is doing to human behaviour. In this interview she chats with Byron Holland, President and CEO of CIRA, Canadian Internet Registration Authority. If you would like to hear an experts opinion on what is happening with the internet, then give this a listen.
https://www.cira.ca/
In this episode of the Slacktivism podcast Gracie and Owen's substitute Sadie interview Troy and Jonny from The Hockey Guys. The Hockey Guys are a group of young men that play hockey at the University Of Wisconsin - Superior. The Hockey Guys Tik Tok was started as just something fun to do with a bunch of buddies - give it a follow, it is entertaining, cute and very PG. What this group of 10 guys didn't realize would happen, was that they would become Tik Tok sensations. Once they got noticed they realized that they had a platform to make a difference. Now their videos are being used by a children's hospital in California to motivate young patients to complete their rehab. They are constantly getting messages about how they have made people's days. Keep following along with them to see what they do next.
Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@thehockeyguys?lang=en
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the.hockeyguys/?hl=en
In this episode Gracie and Owen interview Colum and Jack from Modern Action. Modern Action was founded in Pittsburgh, by Colum and Jack who were looking to make online activism more effective. They work with not for profit organizations to create email campaigns and send them messages about the issues that they care about to their own elective officials.
Learn more about them here https://about.modernaction.io/
See two campaigns being lead by R.I.S.E. Youth
Justice for Abdirahman https://modernaction.io/send_cause/justice-for-abdirahman
Childrem's Rights https://modernaction.io/send_cause/childs-rights-in-canada--it-is-time-to-make-the-united-nations-convention-of-the-rights-of-the-child-into-canadian-law
In their third episode of the Slacktivism Podcast Gracie and Owen interview Padme, Amina and Anja and learn about the amazing work that they are doing at Glebe Collegiate Institute. We learn about how this organization got started and how youth are creating local driven projects to fundraise and support their school community. So button up and listen in.
In their second episode of the Slacktivism podcast, Gracie and Owen interview Fiona Milligan. Fiona is no stranger to being called lazy, she was born with dyslexia and has been very misunderstood throughout her whole life. However, she did not let that get her down, instead of seeing the negatives Fiona has learned to celebrate her differences and has started a business called Downright Dyslexic.
Check it out here https://www.downrightdyslexic.com/
In this first episode hosts Owen and Gracie interview one of Owen's long time friends Gabe Ferron-Bouis. As a baby, Gabe was diagnosed with fibular hemimelia, the shortening or absence of a fibula at birth. It is a rare condition that didn’t allow his foot and ankle to form properly.
At nine months old, Gabe had his foot removed, his heel pad attached to his tibia and was fitted for a prosthetic leg. It didn’t slow him down. He was water skiing by the age of two.
In this final episode for season 4 Rebecca chats with Owen and Gracie to discuss their thoughts on the last 7 months. We learn about how they have both grown, as well as some of their challenges. Congratulations Owen on being the "Ultimate RISER".
In Owen's last SCM podcast he interviews Dr. Martin Hyun from Germany. In this episode Owen learns about Dr. Hyun's experience as a hockey player in Germany, the racism he has experienced both on and off the ice and what he is doing to change that for other players in the game.
In this episode, first time host Noella interview world wide renowned fashion designer Justina McCaffrey. Noella learns about Justina's global career, her desire to bring the garment industry back to Canada and the importance of looking at the environmental impact the industry has.
In this episode Owen has the opportunity to chat with Matt Bradley former professional hockey player. Bradley tells his story about his lucky break after being cut from a Triple A hockey team, his professional career playing with greats like Mario Lemieux and Alexander Ovechkin, to his retirement and Owen's dream job, watching NHL and AHL hockey for a living.
In this episode Owen interviews his classmate Mohammad who came to Canada in 2016 as a refugee by way of Syria and Jordan. Mohammad shares his journey from leaving friends and family and the food and weather that he misses dearly. He also shares about what it was like to come to Canada and learn a new language and culture very quickly. Thank you Mohammad for sharing your story.
In this episode Owen speaks with Director, Cultural Diversity and Inclusion for the OHL Rico Phillips. We learn about what this position means, stories from referring, his role as a fire fighter as well as the Flint Inner City Youth Hockey Program. Rico shares his amazing experience of being nominated and winning the 2019 Willie O'Ree community hero award. You will hear Rico's passion for the work that he does in this entire episode. Owen's biggest take away, It is important to be courageous and speak out when there is a problem.
In this episode Owen interviews former professional hockey player Brendan Bell. We learn about how important work ethic is, the differences between European hockey and North American hockey and how ones own experiences shape their hopes and dreams for their children. The big takeaway, did you have fun at the rink?
In this weeks book club we welcome our latest guest, Khater Muhajir to the discussion. This week dives into looking at Rashad and Quinn and how they are dealing with the unlawful beating after the fact. We have some great discussions about racial profiling and how uncomfortable it is to the right thing sometimes.
In this episode Owen continues to learn about how society and the future of work is rapidly changing. He has the opportunity to speak with marketing and communications expert Jack Garrard from Contextere and AI startup. Owen is given a mini lesson on AI, Fourth Industrial Revolution and the specific software that Contextere provides to the blue collar worker. Jack and Owen discuss the need for change in education for this ever changing world. Owen's big take away, be prepared to never stop learning.
In this episode Amy continues to learn to earn her grade 10 health / phys ed credit. In this episode she interview Stephen R. Coleman, an extremely passionate, driven and inspired documentary filmmaker who left a comfortable job in order to follow a passion and give back to his community. He completed an incredible film called Project Cold Days which broadcast nationally on CBC in March 2019. He is currently in Bali filming another film about their amazing culture. This is a must listen.
To learn more about Stephen and his films click here https://www.lexfilm.net/.
In this episode Mohammad continues his English learning journey by looking at poetry. He had the opportunity to read, watch and analyze a song written and performed by local rapper Iamsoulful.
IAMSOULFUL is an Arab-Canadian independent artist from Ottawa, Ontario, whose musical palette is inspired by the likes of J. Cole, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and 6lack. Using his spoken word background and powerful delivery, IAMSOULFUL has garnered global attention across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. The strength of his music and creative content has led him to perform at over 25 different venues across Canada in 2020, guest performing at the UN Impact Gala and considered one of "Canada's Most Slept on Artists" by acclaimed urban media firm Shifter Magazine.
You can subscribe to his youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/c/IAMSOULFUL15/featured
Amy is back and is learning about health and wellness. In this episode she interviews Catie Clapp co-owner of Willow Wellness in Richmond, ON. Amy and Catie talk about what they do at Willow Wellness and how to handle stress.
In this episode of the Social Change Maker Podcast we start our first ever book club. Mohammad is a grade 9 student at R.I.S.E. who is reaching ahead and taking grade 10 English. He chose the book All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely to read. Each week Mohammad creates questions related to the book for a discussion with Barbara Carey, retired grade 7 / 8 English teacher and Khater Muhajir a recent graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University in public health.
This week we discuss Friday and Saturday. If you are following along and have read the book or are reading the book, we would love to have questions sent to discuss or to have you join us. You can contact us via email rebecca@riseacademy.ca.
Owen has started this quadmester on a mission. He is ready to share his new schooling experience with others. He is hosting an e-sports event called RAISE for R.I.S.E. to raise money for scholarships to R.I.S.E. Academy. As a part of this project he wants to have conversations about education and the need for reform. On this episode he interview Don Wettrick, father / teacher and entrepreneur to get his take on where he thinks the education system needs to go.
Ella and Zenya are two of R.I.S.E. Academy's pioneers. They both started with Rebecca in September where they took grade 9 geography and then continued on for a second course, this time Media Arts. In this episode they reflect on their time with R.I.S.E. and give advice to anyone considering taking a course.
Over the past 8 weeks I have had the pleasure of working with Laszlo, Satya and Rusty in our younger social change maker program. In this episode we hear about their experiences and the fun that we have had.
Kirsten makes her podcasting debut in one of our last podcasts of this quadmester. In this episode she interviews Beatrice Ocquaye, Principal of R.E. Wilson Elementary school. Over the quadmester Kirsten has been learning about the importance of nutrition and building community. She has learned that schools often play a huge role in providing that for some kids. Her journey began by speaking to grade one teacher Alex Bedyn and learning about the school community that she works with at R.E. Wilson elementary school. Her learning continues in this episode by learning more about the amazing and resilient children and families at R.E. Wilson school in Vanier.
In this episode Zenya and Aurora co host and interview Mya Beaudry of Kokum Scrunchies. Mya tells them about how her business started, the significance behind the name Kokum and what it is like to be a business owner at the young age of 10. If you would like to learn more about her project or to order a scrunchie check it out here https://kokomscrunchies.ca/.
In their final episode for the quadmester, Gracie and Owen interview Social Worker / Therapist Robert Billard. It was a fun conversation hearing from Robert full of information about parenting and families, but what made even more fun was when the table was turned and Robert began to ask Gracie and Owen questions about themselves. Have a listen!! If you would like to connect with Robert you can reach out to him here https://tinyurl.com/yxhyvl8m
Gracie continues her learning journey about Canadian Families by interviewing her older sister Gabby and her boyfriend Bryson. Gabby and Bryson are both 20 years old and they discuss what like is like as an emerging adult.
In this episode Gracie and Owen continue their learning journey by interviewing Joyce Hamelin, Social Worker at ABLE2 in their FASD program. They learn about what FASD is and what it is like to live with youth who have FASD as Joyce has 5 adopted children.
In this episode Gracie and Owen interview Jennifer Deavy, a social worker for the Childrens Aid Society in Ottawa. Jennifer explains to them what CAS does, the importance of attachment at a young age and shares a wonderful success story.
Owen continues his podcasting adventure by interviewing professional skier and spokesperson for Protect Our Winters Nick McNutt. In this episode they talk skiing, climate change and of course Owen had to ask about Nick's near death experience from March of 2020. This episode is a must listen!!
This past weeks episode reflects the lesson that we learned in the Canadian Families course. We looked at couples, making commitments and next steps. Owen had the opportunity to interview our young intern Abbey and her partner Jeremie. He learned about the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to young love.
Owen and Gracie continue to learn about Canadian Families. In this episode they interview Colleen MacPhee from Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services. They learn about addiction and how it affects the individual and family.
If you would like to learn more about Rideauwood you can check it out here https://www.rideauwood.org/.
In this episode, Aurora makes her podcasting debut. Aurora is sad to know that children around the world do not have the same opportunities that she does and that many of them are forced into child labour. In this episode she interviews Mira Gillis who is an amazing young advocate for this issue. Mira is originally from Windsor, ON and is currently in her first year at Carleton University. Mira Gillis served as a national youth advocate for World Vision Canada, campaigning for the federal government to enact legislation which would force companies to disclose if children were exploited to make their products.
You can connect with Mira on instagram here @mira_gillis
Owen and Gracie are in the Canadian Families course at R.I.S.E. and what better way to learn about theory and content about family than by interviewing your own. In this episode meet Rebecca and Elaine Hollingsworth (Owen's Mom and Grandma) and Andrea Sacca and Barb McNulty (Gracie's Mom and Grandma). They discuss marriage, love, Erik Erikson and Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, regrets and agents of socialization.
In this episode Gracie and Owen interview Hazel Smith, mother, wife and ASD advocate. Hazel is a mother of a son on the ASD spectrum and is the Children At Risk's Special Projects Coordinator and Camp Director, Camp Kaleidoscope. If you would like to learn more about their program you can check them out here http://www.childrenatrisk.ca/
Owen has come back for another quadmester with R.I.S.E. Academy and has loved podcasting so much that he will be jumping on the mic quite often. In this episode he continues his quest to learn as much as possible about climate change and amazing organizations are out there that are doing something about it. He interviews Mikaela and Grant from the Canadian Wildlife Federation's Wild Outside program for youth ages 15-18. If you would like to learn more about this program you can check them out on their website here http://wildoutside.ca/.
Zenya continues her quest to learn more about Tiny Homes and alternatively living. In this episode, Zenya interviews Maya from the youtube channel Sailing Magic Carpets. We learn about what life is like living on a sailboat, how music can be another form of communication and the book Maiden Voyage by Tania Aebi that inspired Maya to sail around the world at the young age of thirteen.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF4xKWRRSuOo4pkOgn91Tdg
Website: https://sailingmagiccarpet.com/
In this episode of the Social Change Makers podcast Zenya gets to interview one of her all time favourite Youtube couples, Danielle and Mat from Exploring Alternatives. If you want to learn about how to make the shift to Tiny Living or hear about what life is like on the road as a Youtuber then this is a must listen.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ExploringAlternatives/featured
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exploringalternatives/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/exploringalternativesblog
Meet Owen, he cares about the environment and climate action. Owen has been busy making small changes in his life to be a better climate warrior. In this episode he interviews Izzy Lynch from POW, Protect Our Winters. We learn about what POW is all about and some amazing events and programs that they run. Check out their school programs here https://hotplanetcoolathletes.ca/.
Meet Ellie, she is concerned with equity and equality, especially for women. Ellie has decided to support a Canadian organization called TEMBO. In this episode we learn about TEMBO, Tanzania and education for girls.
Meet Will, he is a grade 10 student at R.I.S.E. Academy who started his passion project looking at Cancel Culture. In his research he started to come across a lot of information about fake news. In this episode Will interviews Brodie Fenlon, Chief and Executive director of daily news from CBC News and learns all about the credibility of news outlets.
Meet Kenzie, she is grade 9 student at R.I.S.E. Academy who cares about dogs. She has decided to focus on Potcake Dogs (Caribbean Strays). In this episode Kenzie interviews Julie Bertrand, founder and president of the Eastern Ontario Potcake Rescue.
Meet Josh, he is concerned about the amount of Human Trafficking that happens around the world and as well as right here in Canada. In this episode, he interviews Christine from Voice Found to learn about what Human Trafficking is and how he can help.
Meet Gracie, she is a grade 11 student at R.I.S.E. Academy and she is upset about racism in hockey. In this episode Gracie interviews founder of the Black Girls Hockey Club, Renee Hess, NWHL hockey player Saroya Tinker and New York City journalist Erica Ayala. They discuss the issue from all the ladies perspectives, what needs to be done and to make everyone aware that being an ally is not a one time thing, but something that needs to happen for life.
Erica https://ericalayala.com/
Renee https://blackgirlhockeyclub.org/
Saroya https://saroyatinker17.wixsite.com/mysite
Meet Callie, she is concerned about our Oceans and all the plastic pollution. In this episode Callie interviews Katy Kennedy from Clear Blue Sea in San Diego California. We talk about microplastics, climate change and are introduced to FRED!!
Meet Zenya, she is interested in sustainable housing and learning as much as possible about the Tiny Homes movement. In this episode she interviews Daniel Ott from True North Tiny Homes in Hamilton, ON. We learn about what a Tiny Home is, the benefits of living Tiny and how Tiny Homes can help with poverty and climate change.
Amy is a youth who is in grade 10 at R.I.S.E. Academy. She is interested in helping girls and teens love themselves, feel confident in their own bodies, to speak up for themselves and to be happy with who they are. In this episode she interviews Kim Tackaberry, founder of GLOW (Girls Leading Others Wisely) to learn more about how she can help with this issue.
In this episode the Social Change Makers have the extreme pleasure of interviewing Ainara Alleyne from Ainaras bookshelf. Ainara is a grade 6 student in Hamilton, ON who is using her love of reading to address the problem of diversity in books. Ainara tells us about how Ainara’s bookshelf got started, what she is up to right now and where she might be going. Give her a follow @ainarasbookshelf on instagram.
In this episode Zenya and Kenzie interview Lauren and Meghan from Period Packs Ottawa. Lauren and Meghan saw a need for period equity in Ottawa and decided to do something about it. Listen in as the girls hear about how they got started, what they are doing now and where they are going. The girls discuss how they are helping women who may have barriers to accessing menstrual products here in Ottawa.
Welcome to a new season of the Social Change Maker podcast. We are super excited to introduce our new cohort of youth working with us. In this episode we welcome Ella, Amy and Zenya who are representing the new group of high school aged youth at R.I.S.E. Academy. In today’s episode we get to know the three of them and their thoughts on education and making change in their communities.
In this episode two of our Social Change Makers interview Bob Dawson. Bob is a black hockey historian in Ottawa and has joined forces with a few of our Change Makers on a project called #blowthewhistleonracism. Bob was the first black hockey player to play for St. Mary’s University and the first black hockey player in the Atlantic Intercollegiate Hockey League. Bob continues to advocate on behalf of the black hockey community.
In today’s episode the Social Change Makers in 2.0 interview the SCM 1.0 group to learn about their experience over the last 8 weeks.
In today's episode the Social Change Makers speak to Sophia Mathur a young Climate Activist. Sophia tells us all about how she brought Fridays for Future to Canada, her opportunity to meet Greta Thunberg and what we can all do to help the Climate Crisis.
On today's episode the Social Change Makers interview Sahada Alolo who is the community outreach person for the Multifaith Housing Initiative in Ottawa. Sahada shares about what MHI is doing to help those in low income situations find affordable housing.
In today's episode the SCM have the opportunity to interview Ella Lake a 15 year old advocate for so many different issues. She shares her passion about amplifying the voices of those with disabilities and explains the importance of intersectionality of all issues.
On today's episode our Social Change Makers speak with Jackie Wilson, owner of Empowered Education in Nottingham, UK. She tells us all about what an empowerment coach does and the importance of understanding our own superpowers.
In today’s episode the Social Change Makers had the opportunity to talk to Dr Sarah Tranquilly-Doherty and ask her all their questions about her role as a family doctor in Vancouver BC. We find out things about how to become a doctor, the best and worst parts about it, what it is like to be a doctor during COVID and her thoughts on gaming.
In today’s episode the Social Change Makers had the opportunity to talk to Stephen Hurley, Founder and Chief Catalyst at voicEd Radio. The team peppers Stephen with lots of great questions about podcasting and conversation.