Song writing in celebration of National Indigenous History Month

As a Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Legacy School, Institut collegial Vincent Massey Collegiate’s lead Indigenous Teacher Champion, Mme Mona-Lynne Ayotte entered and won for her school/classroom the national workshop contest with Indigenous Artist Ambassador Troy Kokol in celebration of Canada's National Indigenous History Month (June). Troy Kokol was initially selected to do the workshop virtually, however, with the assistance of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, he flew into Winnipeg and did the workshop LIVE with students.

 Supported by teachers Mme Mona-Lynne Ayotte (Indigenous Teacher Champion), Heather Pauls (Choir and Musical Theatre), Sylvia Wastesicoot and Brenda Muswagon (Indigenous Student Success Teachers) and Sarah Baxter (Divisional Performing Arts & Arts Consultant), Massey students and teachers met in the school’s choir room. Students from multiple classes and disciplines attended the workshop and together as a group shared their ideas and singing voices creating the title, choruses, and verse. While Troy played the guitar, brave souls (Makenzie, Tori, Elijah and Leo) from choral class and musical theatre stepped up to sing the various parts of this amazing song entitled "Love Waits". Troy took the class through a series of steps in creating a song and shared the wisdom of the creative soul. Although we are raised to be SILENT, songwriters exist to express, through music and storytelling, songs that speak to experiences others have had, experiences that are often similar to our own.

 Students who participated in this workshop include Sophia H., Quinn B., Jordan B., Divjyot B., Fangyuan Ch. Elijah K. Alex H. Leo L. Natalie P. Katie DeC., Madelaine McC., Zenon B-Z., Emilia UV., Ryan L., Zeke R., Bella L. Evelyne A. Alex V. Neyja G. Sterling McD. MaKenzie R-S., Angad S., Owen K. Gibson C. Raunit D., Zeenu S., Gian T., Yasmina B.

Love Waits (Sterling)

May 23, 2025 Songwriting workshop with Troy Kokol, ICVMC

Key A (G chord on Capo 2)

Verse 1(Tory) 

The walls are tainted with your face.                                  A

My heart pace quickens. God, I hate this feeling.          A

The tears come falling while my mind races                    F#m      

Because what if my love just can’t wait                            D                                        

Chorus (Elijah)

I can’t keep waiting. Your love is weighing me down     A            D

(Waiting, just weighing me down)                                       

I know it could save me, but I feel like clown                   F#m      D           

(Could save me, but I feel like a clown)                             

I can’t keep waiting. Your love is weighing me down     A            D

(Weighing me down)

I know it could save me. I feel like I might drown.           F#m      D

Verse 2 (Leo)

Don’t {want} wait to hesitate,                                         A

Don’t know how long you’ll wait.                                        A

I might just be too late                                                           F#m

I sit here and pray, hoping love waits                                 D

Chorus (Elijah)

{But} I can’t keep waiting...