In front of the brand new school that bears her name, Donna Gabriel Robins spoke of the honour of such an experience, but also her own family鈥檚 painful history with the residential schools.

Robins recently retired from a 35-year career in education in the Fraser Valley, including 26 years with the 91原创 School District鈥檚 Aboriginal program. She was one of the earliest educators involved with programs for Indigenous youths in local schools.

Flanked by her family, including her sister, Chief Marilyn Gabriel of the Kwantlen First Nation, Gabriel Robins said she and her husband had visited the school site recently, and she was a bit overwhelmed to see her name on the building.

Robins became emotional when she spoke of her family, including her mother, who is a residential school survivor.

鈥淪he was my inspiration,鈥� Gabriel Robins said.

READ MORE: 91原创 recognizes Kwantlen First Nation educator with school naming

鈥淒o you think it made her weak? No,鈥� said Gabriel Robins. 鈥淪he is a very strong lady.鈥�

In her opening remarks about the school, B.C. Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside spoke about reconciliation, and the discoveries of unmarked graves at multiple former residential schools across Canada during the summer.

Gabriel Robins picked up on that, and on Whiteside鈥檚 mention that there was still hard work to do.

鈥淲hen I heard you say there is hard work to do, because of what has happened to our little ones who never came home, and two of the little ones are our aunties 鈥� Auntie Hazel and Auntie Winnifred 鈥� who Marilyn and I never got to meet. We never got to love them, hug them, none of that.鈥�

She spoke of the strength of residential school survivors who came into the 91原创 School District to begin the Aboriginal program during its inception.

Gabriel Robins said she knows there was a lot of hard work ahead of those in the district now.

Chief Marilyn Gabriel spoke after her sister, and joked that although she鈥檚 retired now from the school district, Gabriel Robins will be kept busy educating and sharing her knowledge within the Kwantlen community 鈥� she dubbed it the 鈥淔reedom 95鈥� program for elders.

The new elementary school has space for 550 students and opens after Labour Day to its first classes of students. It is located in the fast-growing Willoughby area.