Ishmael Meekis of Sandy Lake First Nation said he and less than 10 students learned a lot about organizing fundraisers during the United Way High School Challenge.
“Sometimes it’s exhausting, but it was a lot of fun,” the 17-year-old said.
The school held fundraisers such as a pie-in-the-face teacher auction where the highest bidder could pie a teacher.
Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School raised more than $630 during the challenge, finishing tops along with a francophone high school.
Meekis was on hand to receive a certificate on behalf of the school on Dec. 5.
The two schools were also awarded with a dance party sponsored by 91.5 CKPR and 2 Tone Music Productions. The dances will feature prizes from the Power Centre.
Participants in the the United Way High School Challenge raised more than $7,000 this year. Since its inception in 2004, the challenge has raised close to $188,000.
The challenge was created to encourage young people to get involved in philanthropy, build community awareness and learn new skills.
When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.




When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.
I grew up...
I’m happy to see the ongoing support and assistance in our northern remote communities to help our people cope with so many lifelong and generational issues...