Greetings All,

With spring upon us, classrooms and schools are bustling with activities and getting ready for year end. Graduation is nearing and is a most exciting time for the various grade levels but for the young men and women who are graduating from Grade 12, this is an extraordinarily special time in their life. To those graduates I say, congratulations and continue striving to make your dreams a reality! I’d also like to thank the educators and communities who work year after year to ensure their students are successful through to graduation. It is a collective effort that families, communities and leadership make for their young people to strengthen future generations.

This year’s Manitoba First Nations Science Fair was another great success. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the teachers, principals, families and volunteers for making this event a memorable one. I would also like to thank the MFNERC staff members who work diligently months out to ensure the Manitoba First Nations Science Fair is exciting, challenging and an overall wonderful experience for all the students involved.

Upcoming is the annual Lighting the Fire Conference. It will be taking place from May 8-10, 2013 at the Victoria Inn Hotel & Conference Centre, Winnipeg. Keynote speakers are the Reverend Stan McKay who will be speaking at the opening ceremonies on Wednesday, May 8 and on May 9, acclaimed CBC personality, Wab Kinew. Additionally there will be over thirty different workshops during the three days, including the annual LTF Tradeshow, and the LTF Banquet which takes place May 9.

It is my privilege to announce the winners of the 2013 Lighting the Fire Student Essay Contest:
Grade 7-9:
First Place Winner: Trenton Harper, Grade 9, George Knott SchoolSecond Place Winner: Shawneen Fisher, Grade 7, Miskooseepi School
Grade 10-12:
First Place Winner: Kailey Arthurson, Grade 12, Charles Sinclair School
Second Place Winner: Kirsten Muswaggon, Grade 12, Otter-Nelson River School

Congratulations to the winners! The theme for this year’s Student Essay is: How has someone in your life inspired you to be a better student? As always the first place winners will be reading their essays at the LTF Opening Ceremonies, Wednesday, May 8th. I hope to see you there!

Lorne C. Keeper