Wemindji Rocks Nicaragua!

As promised, here is the original article I wrote for the Nation News Magazine about the incredible volunteer trip taking place in just a few short days!

Wemindji Youth are Ready to Rock Nicaragua!

By Aidan McCaffrey

The dream is finally becoming a reality for the students and teachers of Wemindji Rocks Nicaragua.  After months of planning, hard work, determination and tireless fundraising, the team of ambitious youth from Wemindji have reached their goal and in just a few short weeks will head to Central America to embark on a journey that will no doubt change their lives and the lives of others forever. 

On July 6^th 2014, the team of 15 students and 5 chaperones will leave Wemindji, starting their 26 hour journey to Nicaragua. Through the Education First and Me to We social change organizations, the students will be volunteering in the community of El Trapiche. The group will be traveling across the world to take part in the building of either a school or youth centre for a community in need.

The physical work will be hard but rewarding and the student volunteers will surely come away with experience and leadership training that they can share with the entire community of Wemindji.  When asked what she hopes to share with Wemindji once the trip is over, Secondary 3 student volunteer Cheryl Danyluk says she hopes to inspire others to do more volunteer work:  “You can’t be shy, you have to be a leader.” Cheryl expresses her passion for volunteerism adding that, “you have to take it upon yourself to make changes, to become more aware.” To become an inspiration for others is a common goal for the student volunteers from Maquatua Eeyou School.  Alyssia Georgekish hopes that by learning more about the world and what is needed by those less fortunate, she will be able to motivate others to step up and make a change. The students of MES also hope to learn more about themselves from this experience.  Intrinsic motivation is important to Austin Georgekish, another Secondary 3 student volunteer.  He says his familiarity with helping others in the past has prepared him for this experience and that he hopes to be able to recognize need and address it before he is asked to do so.  Selena Blackned hopes this trip will help her to overcome her fears and shyness and become a role model for the many youth of Wemindji.  Neebin Atsynia, excited to meet new people and explore the world, wants to see more young people helping out and will bring her experiences back to share with her community.

The excitement is palpable with the adult chaperones as well.  Brandi Taylor, an MES Secondary teacher and volunteer with the group, says that now that the financial goals have been reached the focus has shifted to keeping momentum high and maintaining involvement in the community that has generously contributed to the cost of the trip.  Fellow trip organizer and teacher Carmen Plank says the group feels “AMAZING!” having met their $90,000 financial goal and about the hard work the team has put into getting the trip off the ground.  Plank stresses that while this idea was rooted in education, it is not a school trip, as such, the students had to take initiative and go into the community outside of school hours to raise awareness and reach their goals.  Community outreach events such as a town-wide cleanup, serving at the Round Table feast, pumping gas, carrying out groceries and fulfilling “random acts of kindness” were all ways that students kept their eyes on the prize and thanked Wemindji for their charitable contributions.  These community events have helped raise the profile of Wemindji Rocks Nicaragua and have given students the chance to give back and take a more active role in their community.  Through their ‘good works,’ student participants are able to see the impact their volunteerism has on their hometown, and how taking social responsibility affects more than just the individual.  A pleasantly unexpected outcome of such acts of kindness and volunteerism is that these students are beginning to feel more self-worth and personal responsibility.

Fundraising for the trip cost has been the major focus of the Nicaragua crew until now.  Taylor says, “We feel great to have reached our financial goals.  We are extremely proud of the work the students have put into each fundraising event.  We are also very grateful and overwhelmed by the financial support we have received from local and regional businesses and organizations.”

The team has also been the beneficiaries of large and generous donations from a number of entities.  Without these donations there would be no trip, so the Nicaragua team wishes to make their thanks known to the following corporations and organizations:

• Wemindji Fundraising Committee
• Cree National Government
• Tawich Development Corporation
• Tawich RTN
• Wemindji Youth Council
• Wemindji Band Council
• Wemindji Economic Development
• Cree Nation Youth Department
• Cree Nation Rental Housing
• KEPA Transport
• VCC Massenor
• Kookums and Friends
• Wemindji Wellness Center
• Wemindji Awesome 80’s Club
• Quality Inn, Montreal
• Air Creebec
• All private donors and community contributions to raffle, penny social, bake sale, spaghetti dinners, comedy night, concert and alumni hockey game events.

The work doesn’t stop once the students return from Nicaragua.  Shauna Simpson, MES teacher and chaperone says the group has plans to encourage volunteerism and put their social justice and leadership training to use once they arrive back to Wemindji. “Upon our immediate return we will be hosting a banquet which will give us the opportunity to demonstrate to families and our sponsors what we did and learned during our time in Nicaragua, and to express our extreme gratitude.  We will be looking at touching base with participants in the new school year and calling on them to participate in and help to create positive leadership opportunities in Wemindji.” Frank Atsynia, Deputy Chief of the Cree Nation of Wemindji and a wholehearted supporter since the beginning says “This is a good opportunity for young people to see what they can offer.  To open their eyes and appreciate what they have.”  

As the day of departure gets closer and anticipation builds, the hallways of Maquatua Eeyou School are buzzing with excitement.  Natalie Mark, a teacher at MES and proud parent to two student volunteers hopes that at the culmination of this experience, her sons will have learned “to be thankful for what they have, the opportunities, privileges, and education.” So, while the volunteers of Wemindji Rocks Nicaragua are busy shopping and crossing items off their lists of things to bring on this exciting journey,  Deputy Chief Frank Atsynia has some words of advice for the students making this incredible journey: “This is a great effort and a great commitment.  My hope is that these students will continue on in their lives and accomplish even greater things.  They should believe in that whatever they set their minds to, they can accomplish.” For students and teachers alike, this journey will undoubtedly change their lives and in effect, the lives of those in the great community of Wemindji-- a legacy to be proud of.