Outstanding Aboriginal youth honoured at annual awards ceremony
- Andréa Ledding | June 24, 2015
The 17th Annual SaskTel Aboriginal Youth Awards celebrated the achievements of 130 young people from urban, rural, and First Nation reserves across the province. Organizer Colleen Cameron, who has just been honoured with an appointment to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, noted that each year there are more and more young people being nominated in every category, and even new categories being created.
“The overall goal is one of trying to build leaders for tomorrow by being a leader now in these categories,” said Cameron, adding that the nominees with the most complete packages who best fit the goals of the Wicihitowin foundation are the ones who generally receive the award. “It's not an easy task for the selection committee, but the chosen recipient is the one fitting all the criteria. All the youth are deserving, to be honest.”
She also observes that the one-of-a-kind event increases in caliber each year as coaches, teachers, and activity leaders recognize and nominate youth, while sponsors are eager to be a part of something so inspiring which celebrates and enhances the youth, and brings about present and future community development whether it’s on reserves or in urban centres. Success not only brings more success, but inspires others to follow the path.
Check out our Photo Gallery of the 2015 SaskTel Aboriginal Youth Awards winners.
“I’d like to thank all the youth who've come over the past 17 years, respect and honour to them, and all our sponsors - it's really important because we need corporate support to put it on,” she said, adding that the youth nominators are also crucial. “As one teacher stated, his student was one of the highest caliber he has ever met in twenty years of teaching.”
The Spirit Award went to Robyn Sugar of Piapot First Nation.
“The video of past recipients inspired me to keep on going with life and how it’s okay to fail as long as you keep on moving towards your goal,” Robyn said afterwards, noting part of the joy is sharing the evening and the honour with family members. “I made my mother and grandmother proud.”
She lives a drug-and-alcohol-free lifestyle, and plans to become a nurse after high school. Her relationship with her grandmother is especially cherished as she learns about residential school, growing up with just one parent, and is inspired to continue to learn and speak her Cree language. Robyn tries not to think about her illness or health issues but has been seeing doctors since she was 10 years old, with complications which include high blood pressure, a heart condition, and a possible kidney transplant.
“I want to become a nurse so bad because I want to give back and help others, especially children,” Robyn added. “When they showed previous winners it inspired me to never give up and just keep going - if you hit a bump in the road you don’t just give up.”
So it’s humbling to realize she is inspiring others, too. “It feels good.”
Which is why Colleen Cameron says everyone supports the vision. “The motivation for success is for the youth to be happy and peaceful and have good lives and that's why we're doing this. We’re one big family and we want everyone to all do well, and be happy.”