First Nation youth wins award for her hard work

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The Foundation for the Advancement of Aboriginal Youth receives hundreds of applications each year from Aboriginal students across Canada. From those hundreds, 75 winners are chosen and Windy Willier of Sucker Creek First Nation is one of them.

"When I got the letter about my award, I didn't really believe it. I thought my mom was joking," said Willier. When she got the letter about her award she asked her mom to open it and was surprised to hear congratulations as the first word.

The cheque for $750 convinced her that the award was no joke. The award is for academic achievement, contributions to the community and leadership qualities.

Willier, who is 17, was encouraged by the education co-ordinator of her band to apply for the Aboriginal youth bursary. As part of the application, Willier wrote an essay about her future plans and about her work in her community. Willier is in her last year of high school and already has plans to continue on with her education.

"I want to go straight to university and major in psychology, mainly clinical. That is what I really always thought I'd do," said Willier.

Her application to one university in Winnipeg is complete, but she plans on applying to another one in Manitoba. She has banked the money from the award to use towards her room and board when she attends university next fall. Willier said she doesn't feel the need to take any time off from her education.

"We are very, very proud of her," said her father, Cecil Willier. His daughter has always been very determined and hardworking, he said. The dedicated high school student comes home from school and studies. She has always been like that, he said. While any other typical teenager is concerned with hanging out and socializing, Willier has some different priorities.

"She used to get mad if the bus wasn't able to go to the school," said her father. Her daily schedule begins around 6:30 a.m. when she gets up and ready for her school day which begins at about 9:00 a.m. Around this time of year the weather determines if Willer can go to school that day, but at least she is not waiting for the bus.

Working at her part-time job last year she saved enough money to buy a car to get to school on her own.

Willier's father believes the way his daughter is handling life is going to have a very positive affect on the younger members of the family. The Sucker Creek teenager is always ready to lend a hand around the house and help her mother, he said.