Join us on Wednesday, January 21st, as the AVA Webinar Series presents Stardale: The Learning Spirit Bundle, featuring Elder Wanda First Rider, Helen McPhaden, Santana Swanson Beaudry, and Eugene Stickland from Stardale.
Wednesday, January 21st, 2026
12 – 1:30pm MST
The Stardale curriculum for Indigenous youth suicide prevention has been built on decades of powerful and lived experiences. Based on proven outcomes derived from our programming offered for Indigenous Youth Programming for young women ages 10-17, we have crafted a 4-module curriculum that reaches beyond traditional learning modalities and takes a unique approach to decolonizing learning. Individuals who explore the curriculum will delve into the deeply personal collection of insights that they can carry forward into their lives, work and community.
About the Speakers
Elder Wanda First Rider has worked with Stardale Women’s Group Inc. for years and is an esteemed and highly respected elder in the community. She spent decades in her career as a part of the Calgary Catholic School District. A residential school survivor herself she shares powerful wisdom and insights and offers incomparable guidance. Stardale has been privileged to receive her knowledge and lived experience as guidance for our past programming and program participants, and now once more in the development of our curriculum.
Helen McPhaden is the Executive Director and founder of Stardale Women’s Group Inc. and the guiding light behind its vision and impact. With decades of community leadership and advocacy experience Helen has dedicated her career to empowering girls and young women. She carries the stories of “the women who held things together” and sees that same innate strength and leadership in every young person she works with. A recipient of multiple community and research awards she brings heart, passion and expertise to every project. Most recently her decades of experience have been put to paper in the development of the Stardale Curriculum.
Santana Swanson Beaudry was the Stardale Women’s Group Inc. youth coordinator. I’m a Anishinabee/metis Mother of 2 born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. My educational background is in social work and Recreational Therapy. As a young adult my passion was working with at-risk youth and Indigenous populations. I worked within youth centres, group homes, schools, daycares, and after school programs. Out all my experiences I never made deeper connections with more individuals than I did within my years with Stardale. Seeing shy, silent and anxious young girls develop and blossom into insightful artistic, happy and confident public speakers, singers, and story tellers is something that truly inspires hope and strength in the next generation. These strong Indigenous women and story tellers use their own shared experiences to develop and inspire conversation within an atmosphere of trust weaved together by strong consistent role models, self exploration and supportive peers. I saw these young girls grow into strong confident and self-sufficient adults and Mothers. The difference i see from where these girls journeys began to see the quality of life they now create for themselves, and their families is truly and endlessly inspiring.
Eugene Stickland is a Regina-born playwright and novelist based in Calgary, holding an MFA in theatre from York University. His distinguished career includes a decade-long residency at Alberta Theatre Projects, six years as a Calgary Herald columnist, and numerous acclaimed plays including Queen Lear, which ran for two years in translation in Turkey; he also authored The Piano Teacher, winner of the W.O. Mitchell Award. Since 2011, Eugene has served as mentor and educator with the Stardale Women’s Group Inc. helping young women bring their stories to stage and screen, most recently with The Road.