High Hopes for Us

Yesterday we met Meredith Newman from the Child and Youth Advocate's office. She interviewed us because she is planning to write a piece on us for the Advocate Office's yearly report. After our first hour of visiting, we had a potluck lunch with more conversation. After lunch we returned to the classroom and shared some of our PowerPoints we are developing for some motivational speaking we've been invited to do in Elementary and Middle Years schools. There were hugs all around as she left, with lots of encouragement for what we're doing and hope that we will work together again.

Bailey, Meredith, Michael and Calen in Group picture

(Taish missed outbecause he was helping someone.)

 

Michael and Taish in a thoughtful moment.

 

"Meeting Meredith was a great honour. It was amazing that she gracefully came to our school with high hopes for us." Taish Desnomie

Michael, cozy in the ducky blanket, talking with Meredith

"Meeting Meredith was great, we got to know her a bit. She told us a bit about herself and what she does. She got to know us a bit more, what we plan to do for our community, and I especially want to help the kids in the north. Talking with her heart-to-heart about the book "Shhhhh...Listen!" and how I felt about it, how I went through the same thing, how I heard my name being called, and I was shaking because of reading that book. I couldn't even get to page five because there was lots of heaviness on my heart, I couldn't even sit down for a minute. I told her about the ideas that I have, that I could do to help First Nations kids and youth. I want to make them become somebody, that inner warrior that all of us need to find, we need to find our gifts and we need to find out what the Creator blessed us with. That's how come they are lost because they don't think about it. They need their culture more than they need anything because they have their ancestors in their blood and they need to keep that bloodline going and going. Young people don't need to take their own lives, they need our help, they need our support. I'm willing to do anything to help out those kids in the north. I gave her tobacco before she left. I prayed for her safe trip back home to her home fire, her loved ones and family. She almost teared up because she hadn't had that experience before from a First Nations leader." Michael Starr-Desnomie

Mrs. Koops and Meredith looking at the bulletin board outside the classroom which hlighlights the Special Report on the Youth Suicide Crisis in Northern Saskatchewan

Shhh... LiSTEN!! We Have Something to Say!: Youth Voices from the North

photo by Michael Starr-Desnomie

Lacey and Mrs. Koops took most of the pictures so we could remember our time together.

"We'll See You Again, Meredith!"