Honouring Our Children Season 2025

Tikinagan Celebrates Youth Milestones and Achievements All Summer Long!

Every summer, Tikinagan Child & Family Services celebrates Honouring Our Children Season. Starting June 24 and all summer long, we celebrate our children and youth’s accomplishments and acknowledge their strengths, talents, and unique identities.

This year, Tikinagan is celebrating 18-year-old Sasha Keesick, a youth in care and 2025 high school graduate from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation. Keesick graduated from Sioux North High School on June 24, surrounded by people who’ve supported her along the way.

“My biggest supporters would have to be my aunt and the workers that have been with me through the years. They helped me when I needed someone to talk to or if I needed help with something like homework or a ride somewhere. They have also advocated for me for things that I’ve needed when my voice wasn’t being heard.”

Keesick also says her friends played a big role in getting her to this point.

“Having my friends around and looking forward to seeing them at school and socializing really helped improve my motivation.”

For Keesick, not only did her circle of support help her through her journey, but pursuing her passions and hobbies gave her motivation and purpose.

“My passion for horses started when I was around 10 years old. I was in this foster home; every week we would have two days out of the week to do extracurriculars and I chose horseback riding,” says Keesick. “I got to groom, feed, and learn the horses’ body language. I got pretty good at horseback riding.”

After moving away, her horse lessons ended, but that didn’t stop Keesick from finding her way back to the stables. After moving to Sioux Lookout, she was able to complete all her high-school volunteer hours at the Cedar Bay Stables. There, she was back in an environment that made her feel calm, happy, and fulfilled.

As for what is next for the upcoming graduate, she recently joined Tikinagan’s youth team, Noodawishinaam Oshkiniigiwag (Hear Us Youth), with the goal of advocating for other children and youth in care. She also plans to work in Sioux Lookout for a year and then pursue college or university. She is thinking about attending Lakehead University to study Indigenous Learning and admitted her favourite subject is English.

“I pretty much love to write about anything, especially if you give me something to write about and I don’t know about it. I like learning about what I should write about,” says Keesick.

Seeing youth achieve their goals and discover their passions are just some of the things Honouring Our Children Season celebrates! It’s also a time for children, youth, and families to come together and show that we are a part of their Circle of Care. Throughout our 30 First Nation communities this summer, Tikinagan will be hosting Honouring Our Children events such as BBQs, feasts, contests and fun activities for all ages. Join us by practicing our service model, Mamow Obiki-Ahwahsoowin, “everyone working together to raise our children,” and remind our children and youth that they are supported and cared for by their community.

Learn how you can participate and get involved in your community this summer! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @tikinagancfs and visit tikinagan.org/HOC.