Ministik Community School was the overall winner of the Junior Winter Games. (Northern Lights School Division)

By Derek Cornet

coming together

Junior Winter Games host school become overall gold champion

Dec 5, 2024 | 4:36 PM

The 2024 Junior Winter Games has wrapped up in Cumberland House with the local Ministik Community School emerging as the gold overall champions.

The four-day competition brought together approximately 300 students between Grades 6 and 9. They competed in a number of individual events focusing on arts, culture and athletics.

For instance, they participated in a range of different sports, along with activities such as visual arts, music, drama, dance, crafts, Indigenous languages, and King and Queen Trapper events.

Other award winners included silver going to Pinehouse Lake and Ile-a-la Crosse taking home bronze. Cumberland House excelled in cultural and fine arts and Pinehouse dominated in athletics. In addition, Ile-a-la Crosse received an award for sportsmanship.

“Everyone is a winner in what they have learned and what they have experienced, and it was a great opportunity,” said Ministik principal Aaron Fosseneuve, who’s school has about 180 students.

Politics

Singh says NDP will bring forward a non-confidence motion to bring government down

16h ago

holiday weather

Warmer than average temperature expected for La Ronge on Christmas Day

20h ago

data collection

La Ronge council continues pursuit of crime reduction strategy with special meeting

Dec 18, 2024

“We hope that most other schools in Northern Saskatchewan will bid and host and it should be a trend towards building more avenues for mitho-pimatisowin (Cree word meaning ‘the good life’).”

Fosseneuve explained it was particularly meaningful for his school to host the Junior Winter Games considering Cumberland House is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year. It is the oldest community in Saskatchewan by 116 years and it is 93 years older than Canada.

Students from Pinehouse Lake took second at the Junior Winter Games. (Northern Lights School Division)

Students from Ile-a-la Crosse were the bronze winners at the Junior Winter Games. (Northern Lights School Division)

Cumberland House is situated in the heart of the Saskatchewan River Delta, which is the largest inland delta in North America.

“We wanted to have a celebration to commemorate that and the Junior Games has always been part of Northern Saskatchewan activities, so we invited pretty much all of Northern Saskatchewan,” Fosseneuve said.

“We invited Ile-a-la Crosse School Division, as well as the Cumberland House Cree Nation school to participate.”

La Ronge’s Churchill Community High School was represented at the WInter Junior games and student won gold in broomball anbd the snowshoe Relay, silver in King and Queen traditional dress, and instrumental solo, as well as a bronze in boys basketball.

–

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com