Pikangikum named as Outside Looking In participant

Pikangikum First Nation was one of three communities selected to participate in the Outside Looking In (OLI) program.
“The board and I are thrilled to have Pikangikum returning for their third year in a row,” said Tracee Smith, founder and CEO of Outside Looking In, a program designed to provide opportunities for self-expression to Indigenous youth through the arts.
“The first thing we look for is capacity within the community to run the program. The second requirement is the will and motivation to carry it through.
“Since Pikangikum has retained great staff and teachers who are enthusiastic and have run the program in the past, we know that with their help, we can make this year another memorable one.”
The teachers and staff of Pikangikum First Nation began their official orientation program in mid-November.
It was run by OLI staff. Teachers and community staff go through a six-week orientation program.
Orientation includes attendance policies for youth, fundraising, and rewards and recognition programs.
Parents of the youth will also learn ways to support their children through the OLI program and ensure they understand how vital they are to the success of their youth.
“We had a youth from Pikangikum, Kerrie Peters, graduate from high school,” Smith said.
Peters was in the programs for the first two years Pikangikum participated.
“Now, there will be other students on their way to graduating in the near future,” Smith said.
“Now in our fourth year, we are seeing the benefits our program is having when communities continually apply and participate year after year.
The sense of empowerment and pride is something very hard to describe with words.”
The main goal the youth are striving for is to maintain in good academic standing and attending all of their OLI rehearsals in order to travel to downtown Toronto from their home communities to perform in front of sold-out audiences in June 2011, Smith said.
The other communities involved for 2011 will be Lac La Croix First Nation and the Natuashish Innu.