Bethany Flegel
Martensville High School, Martensville, SK
I am a student leader at Martensville High School. Although I have many passions, I believe strongly in fighting for equality for all people in any situation and am one to exercise my beliefs when given the chance. Through my high school I have been involved in countless fundraisers and charity events. I have a strong passion for leading and have been a part of student council since grade nine. Because of these leadership opportunities I have been part of fundraisers for Place of Rescue, Free the Children, Multiple Sclerosis, Telemiracle, and local causes such as the food bank and homeless shelters. I consider myself to be a feminist and someone who includes everyone. I am excited to have been given this incredible opportunity and can’t wait to see what I will learn from this cultural experience.
Tiarra Bigsnake-Keewatin
Peepeekisis Pesakastew School, Peepeekisis Cree Nation, SK
I am 16 years old and come from the Siksika First Nation in Alberta. I currently reside on the Peepeekisis Cree Nation reserve in Saskatchewan where I also attend grade 11. My passions are reading novels, expressing my culture through dance, playing sports, and learning about the psychological aspects of crimes and serial killers. I am highly aware of the poverty amongst Indigenous people worldwide, how the Indigenous people face systemic discrimination and exclusion from political and economic power. They continue to be over-represented among the poorest, the illiterate, the destitute; they are displaced by wars and environmental disasters. Indigenous peoples are dispossessed of their ancestral lands and deprived of their resources for survival, both physically and culturally.
Stuart Hall
Greenall High School, Edenwold, SK
I attend Greenall High School where I play football for the Griffins and am a former SLC member. I am a Sargent at 34 Roland J. Groome Air Cadets in Regina. I have spent years trying to motivate change and have done so most recently with a Facebook page consisting of over 4,300 members that are willing to lend a helping hand at no cost for those that need it. I learned the hard way that your next day on earth is never guaranteed, that you should do what you can to help create change whenever and wherever you can. That is what my goal, to help create change in a generation that is seen in a different light by society and to cast a new light on what the youth of today can do.
Rhayne Thomson
Kerrobert Composite School, Kerrobert, SK
I was born and raised in Kerrobert, Saskatchewan. I am an outgoing and original individual who cares immensely about others and their happiness. Travelling is one of my favorite things and I have been doing it since I was nine years old, going on yearly vacations with my family. I knew I wanted to do more and that’s what led me to embark on my first volunteer trip to Kenya, Africa in the summer of 2013. There, I fell in love with exploring other lifestyles, cultures, and helping others. The following summer I headed to Ghana, Africa to volunteer as well. I consider myself a free-spirited person with goals and ambition. Smiling and making others smile is what feeds my soul and I love learning and expanding my knowledge about global issues and the everyday lives of people on the other side of the world. I am commonly described as a people person and I enjoy meeting new people. I am also a cat person due to my love for cats and also my Chihuahua Lola. I am so grateful to have been chosen for this amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to meet everybody along the way.
Sydney Kuppenbender
Churchill Community High School, La Ronge, SK
I’m a French-Speaking Métis born and raised in Northern Saskatchewan. I have always been passionate about meeting and learning about other people. As I have grown older, this passion has also grown into a thirst for learning about other cultures, other countries, and the global injustices they face. It has sparked within me a desire to serve and be an activist for positive social change. I am ecstatic and extremely fortunate to be joining my fellow Saskatchewan youth in El Salvador, to connect and work together as part of a global movement to improve our world for current and future generations.
Kayla Blakley
Luther College High School, Regina, SK
I am a grade 11 student at Luther College High School in Regina, SK. I have lived in Regina my whole life with my parents and two older sisters. I am very involved with many activities at Luther College, such as basketball, year book, photography club, stage managing, and various other organizational committees. I have had the opportunity to travel a fair bit and I really enjoy learning about various cultures, languages and places. I am also interested in social and global justice issues and look forward to our time in El Salvador, which will deepen my learning and have experiences with others.
Kaitlyn Kitzan
Sacred Heart High School, Yorkton, SK
I am 16 years old and in grade 11. I live on a farm near Theodore and enjoy working with my horses and cattle on our farm operation. I also volunteer at my school, church and community. At Easter, I travelled with my school on a Me to We trip to Ecuador. It was an eye opening experience that I will never forget. Living in a village deep in the Amazon jungle made me realize all the obstacles they face every day, while we take these for granted. I feel I made a difference with being there such a short time and I am so thankful and excited to be able to further my passions for leadership and social justice issues on our trip to El Salvador.
Danika Glaeske
Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute, Outlook, SK
I am a grade 11 student at Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute (LCBI) in Outlook. I grew up in southern Saskatchewan and have worked hard my whole life. I have been to the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), which is a camp in Manitoba, where I learned many skills which helped in providing me with the opportunity to sit on student council and the LCBI Go Team. Along with the arts, I value education and enjoy travelling. I plan to go on a mission trip with LCBI my grade 12 year to learn more about what I can do to help people in developing countries. I am thrilled to be chosen to go to El Salvador with GCYL Program in July. Through this experience I wish to be a part of the “bigger picture” and learn more about the world as a whole.