Youth Forum in Ottawa
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- Published on Saturday, July 22, 2017
Submitted photos
All 150 students together for a photo from above
By Kira McCormick-Adema
The Neepawa Banner
This summer, Kailyn Hanke was one of 150 students that were chosen to go to Ottawa for the Canada 150 & Me Youth forum. Hanke, an NACI student, took part in one of the four regional forums, in Halifax, in May. The students who came from across Canada arrived in Ottawa on June 24 and spent the next eight days learning, volunteering and presenting.
The students arrived on Saturday and had enough time to eat supper and then start a presentation. The presentation preparations stretched out, filling all day on Sunday. The 150 students were split into a total of eight groups. Hanke’s group made a five-minute video about diversity and immigration, which all included Francophone people, First Nations and immigrants.On Monday, they had the National Forum and gave their presentations. Hanke said, there were a wide variety of other presentations.
Hanke said, it was a busy time but it was lots of fun and the rest of the time was educational but fun as well. For the rest of the week, the students visited museums and got to meet the CEOs as well. One day, they went on a two to three hour hike in Gatineau, across the Ottawa River, and volunteered and cleaned up the pathways. The students also tried Saudi Arabia food at the Aga Kahn Foundation. While there, the students were split into two groups for tours and programming. One of the highlights for Hanke was the foundations community garden, where they met immigrants who used the land to set up small urban farms. “I really loved it,” Hanke said.
The students also got to be apart of the 150th Canada Day Celebration on Parliament Hill. They got to be back up dancers for Quebecois pop star Marie-Mai. Some of the kids actually were doing the dance moves and others got to wave colorful flags. Unfortunately it was raining in Ottawa on Canada Day, but lucky for the students because they got to use the Senate building as their green room for the performance. Backstage, the students got to meet athletes, astronauts and more. Overall, Hanke said, it was an awesome experience.
Kailyn is posing for a picture with the Manitoba flag, with the Parliament Building behind.
